･ OTOKONOKO ･
by prettiugli
Summary: While Seto Kaiba is experimenting with women's clothes, he catches the eye of a spiky-haired photographer looking for his next muse. This could only end well, right! As long as his photographer never finds out that he has a dick... [PRIDESHIPPING, explicit, dark themes, smut, COMPLETED!]
1. I'm not sure of anything anymore

Kaiba was in bed at 7:30 PM, bored and restless.

Every day was the same.

Every day, he would wake up and get into his limousine without looking or talking to his driver.

Every day, he would enter his building through the rear emergency exit to avoid the paparazzi at the front.

Every day, he would walk by his secretary while she sat at the front desk, nodding at him politely, sometimes adjusting her hair, other times carefully applying lipstick.

He didn't mind the preening, but he wished she wouldn't do it so openly, not that it was rude or that anyone would even see her doing it, because no one came into the office earlier than the two of them, but it suddenly occurred to Kaiba that he had never seen her face without makeup.

Sighing, Kaiba tossed his pillow aside and walked out of his room in search of Mokuba, but he had a feeling his little brother would be out of the house. He had been, for the past few weeks, and he was always going somewhere different.

Sometimes it would be a sleepover at a friend's house, or a road trip to a nearby beach or hiking trail, and other times, it would be a movie-marathon night at another friend's house.  
Either way, it was clear that Mokuba was growing up, and being in the house was something he wanted to avoid.

Kaiba knocked softly on Mokuba's door, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Isono walking up the stairs, carrying a silver tray with a platter of cookies.

"For Mokuba?" Kaiba asked aggressively, thinking he would take the tray into Mokuba's room himself for some face time with his little brother.

"For you, Master Kaiba." came Isono's reply, and his manservant bowed stiffly, looking slightly worried. "The young master is out with Yugi Mutou tonight—"

"Right, don't care." Kaiba said stiffly, turning away and walking back into his room.

He caught a glimpse of himself in the full-length mirror and moved towards it magnetically, thinking he looked gaunt. Maybe he needed to work out more.

Eyeing his reflection, Kaiba ran a hand through his hair, catching an odd glint between his fingers.

He froze for a moment and hastily patted his hair flat, carefully separating the strands until he found the culprit.

A silver hair.

Holy fucking shit.

He gave it a light tug and it came away easily.

Blinking rapidly, Kaiba stared at the white hair sitting in his palm, feeling an odd sense of panic bubbling low in his chest.

Either he was really fucking stressed, or he was getting old. Or both. It was probably both.

Feeling slightly uneasy, Kaiba discarded the strand into the waste bin in the bathroom and sat down on the edge of his bed.

He lay down and tucked his hands behind his head, staring up at the crystal chandelier hanging above his head.

Maybe…he would do something different tomorrow. Instead of going to work, he would attempt to relax. Keyword: attempt.

Maybe he could take a leisurely drive through the city.

What was the point of buying such nice cars if he was always being driven around by someone?

Maybe he could have a peaceful lunch, alone, by the waterfront of Domino Bay.

It would be a refreshing change from the constant formal dinners he had been attending.

Tomorrow was going to be full of possibilities.

* * *

Kaiba quietly heaved the shopping bags up the stairs, hearing Mokuba's footsteps rushing up behind him.

"Seto…! Seto, you're home before dinner!" Mokuba cried excitedly, staring at the multitude of branded bags his brother was carrying. "You went…shopping?"

How strange. Mokuba thought Seto hated shopping.

"I was bored," came Seto's reply as he stepped into his room and began closing the door, but Mokuba quickly stuck his foot into the crack, gazing up into his brother's face.

"If you're home early…does this mean you have time to watch TV with me?"

Kaiba smiled half-heartedly, "Yeah, kiddo. Give me a moment." and eased the door shut, trying to calm his frantic, pounding heartbeat.

He grabbed the shopping bags and messily dumped them all out on the bed.

Kaiba stared at his purchases, feeling his eyes water with anxiety.

Long, flowy dresses, short skirts with matching flowery blouses, padded lacy bras, stockings, packets of hair extensions, several boxes of delicate jewelry, and an array of colorful assorted cosmetics lay strewn in a heap atop the comforter.

Additionally, thick, shiny boxes containing several pairs of high heeled shoes and boots gleamed in the low light of the chandelier above his head.

His breathing quickened as he carefully sorted out every item on his bed, unconsciously building sets of outfits as he organized everything.

Delicate gold earrings, paired with a white skirt, a dark maroon blouse, black thigh-high stockings, and dark heels.

A statement necklace, with a simple top, paired with denim, the hair extensions, and thigh-high boots.

 _What the fuck am I doing?_ Kaiba thought nervously, backing away from the edge of his bed, staring at the remaining mountain of clothes.

This was ridiculous.

He had done this as a joke. Because he was bored.

Hastily gathering everything into his arms, Kaiba shoved the pile of clothes and shoes into the back of his closet and slid the door shut with great effort.

 _Fuck that shit_ , Kaiba thought plainly, staring at his own reflection in the mirror.

The joke was over. The impulse had passed. He had entertained the thought, he had carried it out…and it was considered a day well lived.

Pushing away the heavy rock of guilt sitting in the pit of his stomach, Kaiba went to join Mokuba in the other room.

He let Mokuba pull him into a sitting position beside the large TV, and he felt his chest grow heavy as Mokuba snuggled warmly against him.

The scenes on the screen flashed across his vision slowly, turning into one long blur as the black, thigh-high boots danced at the front of his mind.

Mokuba's breathing was evening out slowly, and Kaiba gently picked Mokuba up and carried him steadily up the stairs, seeing Mokuba shift and attempt to glare sleepily at him.

"I wasn't sleeping!" his younger brother protested, but Kaiba ignored him and shouldered the bedroom door open before setting Mokuba softly down onto his bed.

"Sleep when you're tired," Kaiba said robotically, wrapping his fingers around the golden door handle. "Isono will wake you up for dinner."

He shut the door quickly and strode back into his room, feeling a headache coming on.

Slowly sitting down on the edge of the bed, Kaiba stared at his mirrored closet doors, seeing his own pale reflection staring back at him.

Holding his breath, he pushed the door open slowly and stared at the heap of clothes sitting at the bottom. Bottles of cosmetics were lying haphazardly on the floor, so Kaiba knelt and packed them back into the bag, running his thumb absently over the tinted moisturizer.

Well…he could give it a try. This stuff could be easily washed off so…it should be fine.

He grabbed the entire bag and strode into the bathroom, carefully placing every item along the counter in a neat line and bent forwards, inspecting each one.

What hell was all of this shit?

Granted, all he had to do was say nothing as the saleswoman helped him out to everything she thought he needed for his "new lady friend", but as a result, he had no idea what the hell he had just bought.

Biting back a frustrated sigh, Kaiba slipped his phone out of his pocket and gave it a few aimless taps.

The internet…would be helpful in this situation.

An hour passed quickly as Kaiba patted and prodded at his own face with the cosmetics, and he leaned back to frown at himself in the mirror.

Was this…correct?

The cream gave his skin a healthy glow. The eyeshadow and light brown liner accentuated the shape of his eyes and somehow brought out the intensity of his blue irises. He had also taken the time to apply false lashes, section by individual section, he couldn't see a fucking difference.

 _I look the same…but better,_ Kaiba mused, drumming his fingertips along the marble countertop.

Mildly disappointed, he took the time to arrange the cosmetics into the empty shelf in his bathroom vanity and strode out of the room, making a beeline for the closet like a man possessed.

Without thinking, he tossed the clothes back onto his bed and sifted through it all, searching for the hair extensions, feeling his fingertips tingle.

This was…mildly fun.

He grabbed a set of clothes and his heart pounded excitedly as he stripped, narrowly grazing the collar of his shirt against his cheek.

Cursing, Kaiba tossed the shirt aside and examined his reflection in the mirrored closet doors, relieved to see that his makeup was untouched.

He slowly got dressed, seeing his own feet shaking as he stepped into a white skirt.

He buttoned the waistband and frowned.

No, this felt strange.

Hastily unbuttoning it, he threw it aside and picked up the pair of ripped denim jeans.

Kaiba straightened up and carelessly threw his own shirt back on. On a second thought, there was a fluffy cardigan sitting in the pile, and he shrugged that on, staring at his reflection again.

No. This was wrong.

Feeling a tight bubble of annoyance sticking in his throat, Kaiba swallowed tightly and stared at the strap of a bra peeking out from underneath another skirt.

Well…he was a man who always did everything to the fullest, with no excuses.

Why would this be any different?

After a few hours, Kaiba stood in front of the mirror and blinked rapidly, feeling his chest grow tight as it became harder to draw his next breath.

He was staring at a stylish slender woman in the reflection of the mirror. She had impossibly long legs and light brown hair that fell in soft curls at her shoulders.

He had easily learned how to apply and curl the hair extensions. He had created an outfit that looked effortlessly chic, and the highlight was slick black thigh-high boots. They slimmed his legs and added even more height to his already towering frame.

This had been two hours of effort.

The bra itched terribly and the new shoes were pinching uncomfortably at the toes.

Now what?

Kaiba stared at his own reflection for a moment longer before deciding to take everything off.

Frowning, he slipped his finger through a curl of his hair, feeling an odd twinge of regret. All this effort…just so he could take it off when he was done. How disappointing.

He gazed at the door, wondering if he dared to go outside looking like this.

Well, on the bright side, no one would recognize him.

Kaiba turned away from the mirror and slid his phone off from the bed, walking towards the door as if he was in a trance.

* * *

Yami felt his eyes burning as he leaned away from the computer screen and patted his face with his hands, blinking steadily.

He glanced out the window and realized with a jolt that it had become pitch black outside.

Damn, he had lost track of time again, and he was hungry.

Shoving his laptop away without saving his work, Yami jumped out of his seat and grabbed his jacket, hoping and praying with all his might that the nearest convenience store would still be open.

On a second thought, he grabbed his camera off from the back of his chair before he stepped out of his apartment.

The cold night air was crisp and wonderful.

Yami took several deep breaths and slung his camera over his shoulder, rolling his neck stiffly before setting off down the deserted sidewalk.

He hurried down the street, and caught the green sign of the convenience store appear in front of him, but the windows were dark and a red 'closed' sign hung in the doorway.

Gritting his teeth in frustration, Yami paused in his step and felt his stomach churning with hunger.

Damn it. He really needed to stop losing track of time while editing photos.

Now he had to make a longer trip to the larger convenience store closer to downtown.

He eyed the tops of the trees waving in the light wind in the darkness before him, deciding he would cut through Domino Park to get there faster.

Thoroughly annoyed now, Yami strode through the gated entrance and tried to ignore the wavering shadows on the ground beneath him. Now he felt like an idiot for bringing his damn camera on this impromptu late-night stroll.

Carrying around such an expensive looking camera into downtown this time of night was like an invitation to be robbed.

His shoes crunched lightly on the graveled path and Yami took several deep breaths, calming himself down. He was just stressed.

Stopping in the middle of the path, Yami lifted his head to stare into the night sky, seeing a sparse sprinkle of stars dotting the inky blackness above his head, forcing himself to relax.

He heard a soft sneeze from afar and he froze, wondering if he was hearing things.

Scanning the area slowly, he spied a figure sitting on one of the park benches under the dark shadow of the trees several paces ahead. The glow of a cell phone was barely visible from the distance.

 _Crap,_ Yami thought as he broke out into a cold sweat, his mind racing with fear.

He kept his head down and continued to walk forward briskly, intent on not making eye contact.

Kaiba blinked and froze as he heard quick crunching footsteps coming down the garden path, and he held his breath, trying to stem the fear that was clawing its way up his throat. Shit. Who the fuck was walking through the park at this hour?!

Yami kept his gaze aimed downwards and felt slightly nauseous from the hunger as he strode right by the figure sitting on the bench.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted the shiny tops of a high-heeled boot, and tripped on his own feet mid-step.

A woman?!

Yami blinked wildly as he fell forwards onto the ground. His knees stung as they hit the gravel and his camera swung dangerously on his shoulder.

Kaiba felt his mouth drop open as he saw a spiky-haired figure trip right in front of him and he clenched his jaw shut so quickly, his teeth clicked. Just his fucking luck. Was this Yugi or Yami? It was too dark to tell, but he could barely make out a slender male figure standing a few feet away, gaping at him.

Yami felt his mouth go dry as he briefly saw her shocked face illuminated by the glow of her phone before it had been clicked off and the darkness blanketed them again.

She had looked…scared.

Slowly getting to his feet, Yami dusted himself off gently and kept his distance, calling out to her.

"Did you miss the last train?"

There was no answer, and the woman sitting on the bench remained motionless.

 _Fuck!_ Kaiba screamed to himself, gripping his phone so hard, he could feel himself trembling with a mixture of anxiety and fury.

This voice…! This was Yami, not Yugi.  
Shit.

Drawing his breath in slowly, Kaiba forced himself to remain calm. Whatever. This wasn't anything he couldn't handle. He would just ignore Yami until he went away.

Yami frowned, and took a step closer towards her, feeling the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. Why wasn't she answering?  
Or…was this woman a prostitute?! If that was the case…was she hurt?  
What was she doing here in the middle of the park, far from the city?

"Are you…hurt?" Yami asked tentatively, taking another step forward slowly, seeing her tense visibly in the darkness. "Do you need help finding the police station?" And he took another step closer towards her, his concern rising.

 _Yeah, my feet fucking hurt_ , Kaiba thought viciously as his mind raced for a solution as he was now thoroughly regretting his trek through Downtown Domino in his new shoes. After the high had worn off, it left an aching throb at the base of his heel.

Ignoring Yami wasn't working.

And Yami was getting closer, taking a step closer with every sentence he spoke, and Kaiba was quickly beginning to feel like a caged animal.

 _I'm being preyed on!_ Kaiba realized as he bit the tip of his tongue, wondering if he ought to shout at Yami to give him the fright of his life.

Yami's reaction would be hilarious…and in turn, the situation would quickly become extremely mortifying.

But if Yami knew about his little cross-dressing experiment, he would never let him live it down.

Kaiba nervously uncrossed his legs and considered kicking Yami if he got any closer.

Yami swallowed tensely as he got close enough to see a curl of hair sitting neatly on the woman's shoulder, and he tried again. "Hey…it's…dangerous to sit here, alone, in the dark. Let me walk you somewhere with light."

Kaiba dug his fingertips into his palm, biting back every instinct to shout at Yami as he shook his head vigorously. What's more, Yami was standing close enough to see his face!

Hating everything, Kaiba dropped his phone into his lap and pressed his hands into his face, continuing to shake his head.

 _No. No. I'm shaking my head. Go the fuck away. Fuck off._

Yami's concern rose as he saw her drop her phone to bury her face in her hands and shake her head sadly, looking as if she was crying. Crap.

Maybe…Anzu was the person to call for this type of thing.

"Please don't cry," Yami said nervously, biting his lower lip as he stared at the tips of the girl's beautifully manicured nails. "I have a friend who can help you…she'll be able to give you a place to stay for the night."

Kaiba felt the soul being squeezed out of his body as he realized Yami was referring to the friendship girl, Anzu.

Holyyyy shit. NO! This situation was somehow getting worse!

Pissed, Kaiba dropped all pretenses and raised his head to glare straight up at Yami, his heart jumping into his throat and sticking there permanently as he was caught in Yami's dark violet gaze.

Suddenly, Kaiba realized there was one part of himself he had forgotten to conceal. His Adam's apple. Fuck.

"No?" Yami said sympathetically, moving to carefully sit down on the bench beside the girl, keeping his eyes lowered respectfully.

He had only ever heard about these types of girls, but had never encountered one personally. The police station was where she needed to go if she had been assaulted….

Kaiba let his breath out slowly, trying to calm the frantic pounding of his heart. Okay, it seemed that Yami would not leave him alone until he was "safe".

Since when was Yami such a motherfucking gentleman?

But if it would make him go away, Kaiba decided he would play along.

Yami thought he was scared? Fine. He would act scared, and then act like it was all fucking better.

Yami watched the girl take a deep breath and let it out slowly, before nodding shyly at him and ducking her head down low, avoiding eye contact.

Relieved, Yami nodded back at her and stood slowly, pointing down the road. "We'll go this way. I'll walk with you…" And he paused, attempting to smile at her. "…What's your name?"

Kaiba blinked and froze, cursing internally. Great. What was his name? He couldn't fucking speak, otherwise Yami would recognize him right away! He also couldn't use his phone to communicate, because it was a new corporation phone that wasn't on the consumer market yet.

"It's okay…you don't have to tell me anything," Yami said nervously, holding his hand out warmly, knowing she was only acting like this because she was extremely shy and frightened. "Here, take my hand. I'll walk you to the station."

 _There are no trains in the station at this time, you idiot_ , Kaiba thought coldly, glaring at the palm of Yami's hand, and he spotted the camera swinging on Yami's shoulder. Was Yami trying to pick him up?! Was Yami hitting on him?!

And what the hell was the camera for?! He didn't know Yami had any hobbies other than dueling. Was he a pervert or paparazzi?

"Oh, this…" Yami said, following her gaze and patting the camera reassuringly. "I was stupid and grabbed it on a whim while heading out the door. I was honestly scared when I saw you sitting here, thinking you were a criminal waiting to rob me."

 _Right,_ Kaiba thought sarcastically, trying to quell his nervousness as he saw Yami's hand appear in front of his face once more.

"We'll go together…Miss…" Yami faltered, trying his best to channel his inner Anzu. How did you console a girl who had just been assaulted? Well, maybe he shouldn't have acted this forward.

Realizing he had made a mistake, Yami began to hastily withdraw his hand, but the woman reached forward and grabbed his wrist, pressing a slender finger into the center of his palm.

Yami blinked anxiously and felt his stomach swoop wonderfully as she began to trace letters into his palm, the tip of her nail sending delicious shivers down his spine as it grazed across his skin lightly.

K-U-M-I

Yami stared at the top of the girl's head as she bent forwards over his palm, tracing her name into his palm again, this time, slower.

"Kumi…is it?" Yami asked lightly, frantically tugging his hand out of her grasp, his heart leaping wildly in his chest. Her hands were beautiful…but they were larger than his!

Kaiba swallowed tightly and chanced a nod, realizing that Yami couldn't recognize him at all! Perhaps it was due to how dark it was, but it seemed he had Yami completely fooled.

"Let's walk this way…Kumi-san," Yami said nervously, pointing towards the tall city buildings at the end of the path. He saw the girl nod and stand fluidly.

Yami bit back a startled gasp as she towered over him gracefully, and he got a good look at her face for the first time in the moonlight.

She was…stunningly beautiful!

Astonished, Yami couldn't help but stand there and gape.

She was wearing a simple t-shirt with a flowing cardigan, paired with stylishly ripped jeans and slick black thigh-high boots which ended in a sharp heel.

Her legs were slender and impossibly long.  
Her hair looked soft, and she had bangs that framed her face nicely. Her cheekbones were high and delicate, and but her jaw was angular and sharp.

Speechless, Yami opened his mouth to speak, and felt his mouth go completely dry.

All of his original assumptions about her had been shattered.

She was wearing designer brands from head to toe!  
She looked like a model.  
Was she a model?!  
Would that also explain why she looked familiar?! Had he seen her on a magazine cover before somewhere?

Kaiba smirked to himself, feeling a small bubble of satisfaction well up inside him as he casually brushed past Yami to walk ahead of him, and he could've sworn he saw Yami's eyes fall out of his head.

He took long strides down the park path, scrambling for a solution, for an escape route, anything to make Yami leave him alone. Maybe he could lose Yami now.

"W-Wait!" Yami cried, dashing forwards, attempting to keep up with her long, confident strides. She was _definitely_ a model! Even the way she walked was breathtaking!

 _Fuck off,_ Kaiba thought dryly, feeling his phone buzz in his hand, and he hastily peeked at the screen. It was a text from Isono...fucking thank god.

 _"Master Kaiba, have you gone out to meet with a girlfriend? You've left quite a mess in the bedroom. Should I clean it up for you or leave it as is?"_

 _"Leav it."_ Kaiba tapped at his screen hastily while he walked, misspelling his words in his haste. _"Need you to send a car. Wil text you address in a few mins. Stay on."_

"Are you calling someone you know?" Yami asked breathlessly, struggling to keep up with the pace. "Maybe we should call you a cab…"

There was a silence as she pointedly ignored him and Yami swallowed tightly, staring at the high curves of her cheekbones, feeling an odd fire burning in his chest.

Love.

This was love at first sight.

He was sure of it.

Determined to spend more time with this mysterious, tall beauty, Yami gathered his courage to speak.

"Kumi-san," he cleared his throat nervously and chanced a smile in her direction, still seeing her ignore him. "Are you hungry? I know of only one café that is open at this time…did you want to come with me?"

Kaiba paused in his step as a slow wave of realization washed over him.

Yami _was_ hitting on him.

Oh this was good.  
This was fucking good!

Yami gazed up into the girl's face, slightly lovestruck as he saw her nod lightly and look away shyly, the soft curls of her hair hiding half of her face.

Unable to believe his luck, Yami walked closer beside her, feeling warm and comfortable in her presence.

This situation fit every single checkmark in the book of "love at first sight"!

A chance meeting? Check.  
A feeling of soft familiarity? Check.  
So graceful and lovely that he was unable to look away?

Check, check, and check.

"Would you mind…if I asked what you're doing out here this late?" Yami asked tentatively as an alien feeling was clawing at his insides, screaming something at him, but he wasn't sure what.

Fear? Anticipation?  
She wasn't carrying a purse.  
Was that strange?  
Or maybe she wasn't real.  
Everything about her was just too good to be true.  
Why would this stunning beauty give him the time of day?!

The girl paused in her steps again and reached down to touch his hand. Dazzled, Yami stared at her beautiful, plump lips as she traced letters into his palm once again.

W-A-L-K-I-N-G

"You're out for walk?" Yami breathed, feeling his body go numb as she let go of his hand and nodded gracefully again. She couldn't speak? Was she…mute?

"Well, you look…very nice," Yami said awkwardly, feeling as if he was having a one-sided conversation with himself. "Are you a model, Kumi-san?"

Kaiba bit the inside of his cheek so hard, his eyes watered.  
Painful, classic pick-up lines. Are you a model? An angel? Did you fall from heaven?

 _You disgust me, Yami_ , Kaiba thought angrily, chancing a glance down at Yami and relieved to see him gazing at the ground as they walked.

Yami was thankful that they were still a bit away from downtown, which meant he could spend more time talking with her as they walked through this park, but Yami briefly wondered if she was being nice to him purely because she recognized him from the televised duels.

"Have we met before?" Yami asked lightly, thinking he was sounding like a complete fool for pulling shitty pick-up lines out of his ass.

If she was a fan girl…it was his lucky night indeed!

Kaiba felt himself sweat and he forced himself to remain emotionless.

Either…Yami really meant that, or it was another shitty pick-up line. Deciding to go with the latter, Kaiba shot Yami a contemptuous look and shook his head, wondering if Yami could even see his face in the darkness.

Yami caught an intense stare from the girl as she turned away and shook her head softly.

"Well…maybe we haven't met, but…do you recognize me?" Yami asked hopefully, hating himself for even asking. What if she was a Kaiba or Yugi fangirl instead? Then he had just dug himself into a hole he couldn't crawl out of.

 _Wow, this guy,_ Kaiba mused, thinking Yami was stooping quite low.

"Take a left here," Yami said hastily, pointing at the divide in the road. "It's a new themed internet café."

And Kaiba rolled his eyes, his mind racing with a million ways he could reveal himself to Yami that would cause the most embarrassment for him.

He needed Yami to be absolutely mortified, so much that he would never bring this situation up ever again.

Yami watched as the girl slowed to a stop and reached down for his hand again, and Yami let her grab him by the wrist and turn his palm facing up.

A slender finger was sliding over his skin again, sending more wonderful shivers down his spine as she traced out words, this time, a sentence.

D-o y-o-u l-i-k-e m-e?

Yami frowned, feeling goosebumps rising up along his arms as she repeated the action.

Do you like me?

 _Yes_ , Yami thought happily, his heart leaping for joy as he slowly fell back to earth, wondering if his original assumption about her was correct.

She was being unusually forward now.

"Forgive me for asking, Kumi-san," Yami began, bracing himself for an answer he didn't want to hear. "But…are you…working right now?"

Kaiba's heart skipped a beat in his chest as he realized what he was being accused of.

Did Yami think he was a…prostitute?!

His rage reared its ugly head and before he could stop himself, Kaiba slapped Yami across the face so hard, his own hand stung. Clenching his fists at his sides, it took every ounce of Kaiba's self-control not to shout at his spiky-haired rival.

"I'm sorry!" Yami gasped, his eyes watering as his cheek stung and throbbed painfully. "I'm sorry, Kumi-san, please forgive me!"

Kaiba felt his fingers tingle from the residual force of the slap, and a warm bubble of satisfaction rose up in his chest.  
Ha. Did it hurt?  
He had always wanted to slap Yami across the face.  
That was pretty fun. Again.

If Yami threw another shitty pick-up line at him again, he would earn another slap.

Yami was still apologizing frantically, sounding unusually undignified and pitiful as he stumbled over his own words. "I'm sorry! Please…I'm just amazed that…someone as beautiful as you…would pay any attention to me! You look like an angel!"

 _Yeah, I'm fucking angelic_ , Kaiba raised his hand threateningly again and swallowed his laughter. He sobered up instantly as Yami reached for his hand and cradled it warmly.

"Kumi-san…please believe me. I like you too," Yami said seriously, feeling her hand trembling in his, and he briefly wondered if he could kiss her. She was so incredibly tall, the only feature he could see clearly were her lips.

Did she feel the same way?!

"Go out with me, Kumi-san," Yami blinked, feeling his desperation rising. She looked completely emotionless…because he had really made her mad. "Please forgive me. I'll…treat you really well. I'll do my best to match your pace!"

Kaiba blinked rapidly, wondering if his shock was showing on his face.  
He felt like shouting and crying with laughter.

He slowly withdrew his hand and grabbed Yami's wrist, forcing his palm upwards, feeling a wonderful wave of triumph surging up inside him as he wrote:

D-A-T-E ?

This would be his golden plan.  
Seduce Yami to bits until he couldn't take it anymore, then, he would reveal himself, and then laugh his ass off while he called Yami an ambulance for the inevitable heart attack he would suffer.

Yami's breath hitched excitedly as he felt the letters being traced into his palm again, and he nodded enthusiastically.

"Yes! Gladly," Yami smiled shakily, feeling weak all over as he saw the beautiful girl flash him a very white and clean smile. Oh gods…she was an angel. An angel was asking him out on a date.

He held his breath as she continued to write in his palm.

S-E-E Y-O-U L-A-T-E-R!

Yami blinked and watched as she let go of his hand and walked away quickly, her heels clicking loudly across the pavement.

Wait…wait…what?!

"Wait…when?! Where?!" Yami called after her, taking a few steps towards the disappearing figure in the darkness before deciding against it.

He watched her vanish around the street corner and he let his breath out slowly, feeling extremely confused.

After a moment, he decided to follow her.

He rushed towards the exit of the park and turned the corner, hastily dashing across the dimly lit street, just in time to see a tall figure with elegant hair ducking into the open door of a long, shiny black limousine with no license plates.

Yami paused mid-step, temporarily speechless.

The limo slowly drive off down the street and he leaned against the street lamp, breathless with shock. Was she…a celebrity? A limousine with no plates! Was she the daughter of a very wealthy family? Or was she involved with the government?

Shaking his head in disbelief, Yami made his way back through the park and up the stairs to his apartment complex.

He leaned the door open and stumbled into his room, his knee hitting the edge of the low coffee table, and the pain stung him back into reality.

He set his camera down on the couch and lay down on the floor, staring up at the dim ceiling lights, feeling his head spin wonderfully.

Amazing. A tall, beautiful woman had appeared in his life…finally!

Struggling to sit up, Yami fumbled for his phone, quickly texting Yugi in his excitement.

Tossing his phone aside after sending a text, Yami sighed and gazed up at the low ceiling of his room. He vowed to wait every day on that park bench for her.

If it was meant to be, and she wanted to reciprocate his feelings, she would show up.

* * *

Kaiba sat very still in the back of his limousine, gripping the bundle of hair extensions in his fist, feeling his ears burn with a mixture of rage and humiliation.

The silence in the car was thick and heavy.

Isono had seen him…dressed like this! How fucking embarrassing!

The car pulled into his property and came to a slow halt in the expansive driveway, and Kaiba watched as Isono got out of the car without saying a word before closing his own door with a soft click and walking off quickly.

Obscenely grateful that his manservant was so perceptive, Kaiba waited until he heard the front door close before he got out of the car and rushed into the house, choosing to go around his entire property to enter through the garden door.

He dashed through the mansion, consumed by panic, and he took the stairs up to his room three at a time before reaching his room and slamming the door behind him with a loud bang, not caring if he woke Mokuba…if that little brat was even at home this evening.

Tearing off his clothes hastily, Kaiba stepped into the shower and let the steaming hot water trickle down his face, washing away the makeup. He could feel the cream clinging to his skin, and he blindly reached for soap, any soap, and he lathered it onto his face, only realizing after the fact that it was conditioner.

Hating everything, Kaiba rinsed himself off and stepped out, pressing the fluffy towel to his face and biting back tears of embarrassment.

Yami had seen him and hit on him like crazy.  
Isono had seen him and all the color had left his face.

It was as if God was laughing at him…if there even was a God.

Patting himself dry, Kaiba dared to look at his own reflection in the mirror, shocked to see dark smears of eyeliner on his lower lids. He glanced down at the while towel and saw streaks of brown and pink from the residual foundation and blush on his skin.

 _Fuck,_ Kaiba growled, tossing the towel into the hamper in the far corner, thinking he would do his own damn laundry this week to avoid more embarrassment from Isono.

Well, he was never doing that ever again. Fuck all this shit.

He hastily got dressed and gathered the outfit off the ground along with the stray cosmetics on his bathroom counter and shoved them into an empty drawer in his spacious closet.

There were so many drawers that were empty on this side of the wall, it would quickly be forgotten there.

Eager to forget, Kaiba climbed into bed and buried himself underneath the covers, shutting his eyes tightly and willing sleep to come.

* * *

Yami sat himself down on the park bench at exactly 6:00 PM, watching the shadows from the trees grow darker on the ground as the sun began to set.

He crossed his legs nimbly and leaned his head back, gazing up at the leaves rustling above his head.  
Was she going to show up tonight?  
What reason would she have to be here?

He shut his eyes and inhaled deeply, enjoying the fresh evening air. Well, at least this was nice. After being shut in the studio all day, he rarely had time to sit outside and enjoy any part of nature.

The sound of heels echoed in the distance and Yami sharpened his senses, looking for the source of the noise.

A voluptuous woman was striding towards him across the park grounds with a multitude of brightly colored shopping bags hanging off her arm, her golden hair bouncing in the low lights from the streetlamps.

Blinking in astonishment, Yami's heart leapt into his throat as he waited for her to walk by. She looked familiar!

She got closer and paused in her step, waving a manicured hand airily at him.

"Yami! What are you doing here?"

Yami raised his hand to wave back, his heart sinking into his stomach. Mai Kujaku.

She approached him softly and smiled foxily, her pink lips curling delicately at the corners.

"Enjoying the sunset?" she asked, placing her shopping bags beside him on the bench and throwing her hair over her shoulder before reaching into her purse to check her phone.

"Yes…" Yami said awkwardly, watching her text furiously. "How have you been, Mai?"

"Good," she answered vaguely, shoving the shopping bags aside to plop herself down beside him with a loud, dramatic sigh. "Wow, my feet hurt. How's your magazine gig going?"

"Good," Yami echoed her response, thinking his photographs weren't making the front page at all. "I've done several spreads already. Have you seen them?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever it is…Miss Eighteen, right?" she said carelessly, waving a hand across her nose. "I'm too old to read those magazines, but tell me which edition and I'll take a look!"

"Thank you," Yami said sincerely, feeling slightly better about running into her now as he figured one magazine sale with his photographs inside would bump him closer towards a promotion.

"Are you eating enough?" she asked suddenly, giving him a sympathetic look. "Let's go out for a meal together sometime. We'll bring Yugi and Anzu."

Yami felt his cheeks redden with sudden embarrassment as he quickly declined. "That's very kind of you, but no thank you."

He watched her throw her head back and let out a full laugh which echoed throughout the empty park.

"Oh stop being so modest, Atem," she said, reaching into her purse again for her phone. "I know what it's like. It's shitty pay to take photos of pretty girls trying to make it big."

"It's not…shitty pay," Yami said quietly, embarrassed that Mai had hit it on the nose.

It _was_ shitty pay. The publishing company took a huge chunk of royalties from his photos every month. If he wanted to leave the company, he would need to refresh his portfolio, and pretty models for his own portfolio were hard to come by.

The girls who knew they were beautiful charged even more for their time, so it was doubly unfair. Some even charged per outfit. It was almost like he was paying for a better portfolio, which made the gap between photographers painfully obvious.

"Okay," she said simply, crossing and uncrossing her legs restlessly. "Well, I'm on my way."

Yami nodded stiffly and watched her gather her things, biting back a yawn. It was getting late. Where was Kumi-san?

Perhaps…was there an off-chance that Mai would know who she was? She did get into a black limousine with no plates, and Mai was very well-versed in her celebrity faces, even obscure ones!

"Wait," Yami said hastily, and Mai paused in her motions, giving him a curious look.

"Changed your mind? How about this weekend?" she said, nodding knowingly and giving him a small smile.

"No, well yes…" Yami said, gathering his thoughts. "Do you know a model by the name of Kumi?"

"Is that her real name?" Mai asked, frowning slightly. "Can't you just look her up in your database at work?"

"I don't know her last name," Yami answered guiltily, thinking he had tried looking her up earlier today, but the results came up empty. "I was hoping maybe you've heard of her. She's very beautiful, tall, with long brown hair—"

"Sorry hon, I can't help you there," Mai interrupted smoothly, sweeping her shopping bags off the bench and giving him a wave over her shoulder. "These girls have stage names for a reason. So creeps like you won't go stalking them for pictures."

"Creeps…like me?" Yami bristled, and he had a feeling the way he had acted towards Kumi last night was indeed quite creepy. Actually, the fact that he was sitting here, waiting for her on the off chance that she would walk by…was very creepy behavior.

"Or something! Byyyye," she sang, gracefully strutting away down the pavement, her colorful bags swinging merrily on her arms as she walked around the corner and disappeared.

Yami sighed and leaned back against the bench again, trying to quell his rising disappointment. Okay, she was right. He was being a creep.

 _I should go home,_ Yami thought glumly, rising to his feet and making his way back toward his apartment.  
If it was meant to be, perhaps she would show up in his life again; maybe it would be tomorrow, or maybe even a year from now…!

Yami vowed he would keep his hopes up.

A girl that beautiful was definitely easy to spot in a crowd.

* * *

 **Author's note:**

A slow start. But please stick with me as I will continue to try my best :D

Will Kaiba muster up the courage to go out in women's clothes again? And when would that be? Hurry, Yami is waiting!

(leave a review, dear reader!)

thank you YLJE for your tireless work and quality edits. Kaiba and Yami both thank you wif their diqqkkcsss ok that got bad real fast. IGNORE ME

Much love,

Ugli


	2. I've been sitting here

Kaiba stared blankly at his computer screen, feeling exhaustion weigh heavily on his shoulders.

He heard a genial knock from the door and he snapped his head up, seeing his secretary step into his office, bowing respectfully.

She approached him and set a stack of files on his desk before bowing again and moving towards the door.

Unable to help himself, Kaiba stared at her shoes, the memories from his excursion a few weeks ago bubbling to the surface of his mind. He had given that incident a lot of thought.

Sometimes, it would give him a reminiscent rush of excitement, and other times, total mortification.

She was almost at the door before Kaiba heard himself speak to her,

"Where did you buy your shoes?"

She blushed and paused, looking at him mildly surprised with one foot already out the door.

"I'm…s-so glad you noticed!" she said happily, smiling shyly at him. "I went to Shinjuku with my friends last weekend! They're from Love Heel! Quite comfortable and work-appropriate, r-right? Mr. Kaiba?"

Kaiba wasn't listening anymore. He had heard the word 'comfortable', and his fingers were already flying over his keyboard as he searched for 'Love Heel' in the Shinjuku district.

"You asked…out of politeness…I see," she said quietly, shaking her head to herself as she stepped out of the office, wondering what had gotten into the young CEO today.

Some days, he wouldn't even address her by name, so the fact that he had noticed her shoes…was odd indeed.

Sighing softly, she shook it off and sat down behind her desk, lightly sipping the coffee on her desk, dismissing it as a fluke.

* * *

Yami threw himself down on his couch, patting around the cushions for the remote. He couldn't find it, so he gave up and stared at the blank black screen.

When people say, _'love drives me insane'_ , this was what they meant.

He glanced around his apartment, taking in the steadily growing mess. There were empty cup noodles stacked on his desk…way too close to his computer, along with stray jackets, socks, and pants strewn about the room.

Pressing his hands to his face, Yami bit back a tired groan. It wasn't his fault. This was because he had seen a beautiful angel, who had left him too soon!

His phone trilled somewhere in the room and Yami leapt to his feet, frantically scanning the area, searching for the source of the noise.

How…the hell could he lose his phone in this tiny apartment?!

Yami dove at a pile of dirty laundry and dug through it, finding nothing. His phone stopped ringing and he panicked, rifling through everything he could get his hands on.

He had already gone 2 days without his cellphone. Thank god it still had battery enough to ring! This was madness.

After sifting through another pile of clothes that was set on top of the kitchen table, Yami finally found the cellphone underneath it all, and he rushed to his desk to plug it in.

His screen lit up with a dozen missed texts and calls from Yugi, and Yami bit his lip guiltily.

 **Aibou:** hey! Mai told us about grabbing lunch on Saturday!  
 **Aibou:** I miss you so much! Got lots to tell you!

 **Aibou:** can't wait to see you!

 _-2 missed calls-_

 **Aibou:** changed to dinner. U ok with that time?

 **Aibou:** I know you're working late these days.

 _-3 missed calls-_

 **Aibou:**?! ATEM? Are you ok? **  
Aibou:** did you lose your phone again?!

 _-8 missed calls-_

 **Aibou:** okkk I'll call you when you get back from work

 **Aibou:** DINNER THIS SAT NIGHT!

 _-1 missed call-_

Hastily hitting re-dial, Yami pressed the phone to his ear and heard Yugi pick up after the second ring.

"Hey!" Yugi cried, sounding relieved. "Come downstairs and cross the street! We're here!"

Yami blinked and glanced at the clock on his wall, realizing that he had been so caught up in the whirlwind of his busy week that he had forgotten that today was Saturday.  
Had it really only been a week since he had seen Kumi? It felt like it had been years.

Sticking his phone in his pocket, Yami hurried out the door and down the stairs of his complex, scanning the dark street and seeing a pair of glowing headlights.

The car honked in the distance, and a bracelet-adorned hand stuck out of the passenger window, waving at him.

Anzu.

Waving back, Yami hurried across the street and pulled the door open, letting Yugi pull him into the car with a crushing hug.

"I missed you!" Yugi cried, and Yami barely managed to close the door before the car sped off down the road.

Anzu turned around from the front seat to give him a friendly smile. "Hey Yami!"

"Stop wrestling and buckle up," Mai said stiffly, giving Yami a wave over her shoulder without turning around. "And I'm not eating ramen. The smell gets on my clothes."

"My god, Mai," Anzu said, sounding exasperated as Yami grabbed at his seatbelt and clicked it into place. "You said no fish, no ramen, no curry, no meat…what's left that won't get a _smell_ on your clothes?"

"A salad," Mai sniffed arrogantly, pulling the car onto the highway with ease. "Or is that something you don't eat?"

"I don't want to eat a salad," Yugi whined, giving Yami's arm a warm squeeze. "Atem, what do you want to eat?"

"Anything is fine," Yami replied lightly, feeling his head spin as he watched the scenery zip by, his mind filled with the soft, gentle curves of Kumi's lips.

What would they feel like on his?

Amazing, probably. Being kissed by a girl, any girl, especially Kumi…would be amazing.

Oh no…but what if she was at the park tonight? But he had promised himself he wouldn't wait for her at the park anymore. That was inappropriate.

Lost in his daydreams for the rest of the drive, Yami didn't realize they had arrived, and he wondered why the car had stopped curbside.

"Get out, losers, we're here," Mai drawled, pulling open Yami's door, and Yami blinked in surprise, hastily climbing out and watching Yugi follow quickly.

They walked down the busy street together, and Yami trailed behind Anzu and Yugi, gazing absently up at the tall, sparkling buildings that surrounded them, wishing he could will Kumi into existence before his very eyes.  
He could barely remember what she looked like, and it was causing him to panic.

Mai was ignoring them, walking a bit away at a distance, phone in hand, texting someone while she walked. Yugi and Anzu were lovingly bumping elbows with every step, and Yami looked away, his ears burning.

They stopped at a street corner and the crowd thinned as the lights turned red and cars began crawling by. It was a busy night in this district!

Yami's head swam with a mixture of hunger and exhaustion. The bright lights from all the signs were giving him a mild headache.

A woman with flowing brown hair brushed past him and he whipped his head around to stare, realizing after a moment that it wasn't Kumi. She wasn't as tall.

 _But she was wearing heels,_ Yami thought to himself, wondering if he should chase after the girl just in case.

He turned back around and realized Yugi, Anzu, and Mai had vanished.

Oh…crap.

Yami hastily dug his phone out of his pocket and leaned against the glass display of a building, hitting the call button and hearing nothing.

Frowning, he pulled the phone away from his face, dismayed to see a red battery sign flash across his screen before it went black.  
His phone had died.

Sighing, Yami ran a series of restaurants through his mind, wondering which ones Yugi was most likely to pick. But Mai had said no fish, ramen, meat, or curry.

Tapping his phone against his chin, Yami frowned, watching another thick crowd sweep by him, with many pretty couples laughing and chatting merrily, enjoying each other's company.  
Damn it.

* * *

Kaiba felt oddly light as he walked down a dark street, feeling at ease with himself.

This should be fine.  
He had inspected every inch of his appearance and had carefully concealed his adam's apple with a peach scarf.

It wasn't too hot or cold for a scarf, and he had seen several other women wearing scarves as they passed him on the street on the arms of their boyfriends.

This should be fine.

He paused mid-step and gazed up the street, eyeing the thronging crowd with envy. Why was he scared of going into a crowd looking like this? He had spent three hours on his makeup, and an additional thirty minutes curling his extensions, making sure they blended in with his real hair.

He had even sent the salon a sample of his own hair, so there was no way anyone could tell…right?

Actually, what had been weighing on his mind was the fact that he would somehow run into Yami again, so he had avoided the downtown park this time around.

Besides...it was dark out. No one had looked at him closely. He had gotten a few leery stares from men standing outside a pub, smoking, but that had been it.

Gripping the strap of his purse tightly, Kaiba took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

He could've just bought the shoes online, but he really needed to see how they fitted on his own feet. Also, he wasn't about to let the delivery company have records of a pair of heels being bought and returned at his address.

How fucking incriminating was that?! That would suggest he had tried to give a pair of shoes to a woman as a gift and in turn been rejected! The tabloids would never leave him alone.

His feet were already taking him to the crossing, and Kaiba took a quick glance down at himself, pulling his shirt down over his crotch, hating the fact that his bulge might be showing.  
This was fine.  
The best idea he could come up with was to cover it with the purse.

People were bumping into him on all sides as he made his way down the sidewalk towards the crossing, and Kaiba grit his teeth, feeling himself sweat.

Why was he nervous? So far so good.

Kaiba froze at the corner of the crossing, watching the walk sign flash, and people beside him surged forward. Laughter rang in his ears as he tried to keep himself steady on his feet.

Were his eyes playing tricks on him?!

Yami was standing at the other end, leaning against the glass of a building, tapping his cellphone against his chin with one hand casually shoved in his pocket, his spiky hair framed oddly between two well-dressed mannequins.

Fucking great.

Their eyes met, and Kaiba felt his chest constrict with pain from his next breath, and he forced himself to calm down.  
Didn't matter.  
Look away.  
Act normally.  
Yami wasn't looking at him.  
Yami was looking at the other side of the road because he was clearly waiting for someone.

Yami's jaw dropped open as he noticed a tall, beautiful woman standing on the other side of the street. It was almost as if she was looking directly at him.

It was her! Unmistakably so! Her height was unmatched by those around her.

From afar, she was eye-catching, wearing another cardigan, but this time, it was fluffy and peach colored with a matching pink scarf.

She had paired the fluffy cardigan with a light blue shirt, and underneath, out peeked a pair of dark, ripped denim shorts and sheer pantyhose that sexily hugged her long, slender legs, ending in a black, calf-high boot.

Unable to breathe, Yami stuck his phone in his pocket, no longer hungry or tired, or interested in finding Yugi. This was his lucky night indeed!

Did she see him? Could she see him? Did she remember him?

The walk sign blinked, indicating that the time for crossing was almost over, and Kaiba shook his head slightly, pretending to snap out of a stupor as he hurried across the street, keeping his gaze fixed on the bright sign above the building Yami was standing against.

Kaiba prayed for the first time in his life, to a god, any god, that Yami didn't notice and would let him walk by, unscathed.

Yami straightened up and smoothed his shirt down, absently pushing his bangs out of his eyes, wondering if he looked unkempt compared to her sparkling appearance.

Not a single curl of hair was out of place, and he couldn't tear his eyes away from her pale knuckles gripping the black strap of a slender purse.

 _She's wearing a purse today!_ Yami noted, trying to catch her eye as she got closer, but she wasn't looking at him. She was looking up at the sign above their heads, and Yami gaped, his heart thudding in his throat as the light fully illuminated her beautiful face.

She was impossibly pretty. Sharp cheekbones, large almond-shaped eyes, and a set of delicate, pink lips.

A long, slender boot stepped onto the curb and Yami rushed forward, dropping all pretense, bursting with excitement.

"Kumi-san!" Yami cried, sticking close by her side and watching her hesitate in her step, pausing for a moment before turning to face him with a nervous smile.

Kaiba nodded stiffly and hoped his fear showed on his face. He needed Yami to fuck off. This guy was like a dirty piece of gum that kept sticking to his shoe every time he tried to scrape him off.

"Are you alone?" Yami asked, realizing how horribly creepy that sounded. Of course she was alone. No one had come up behind her, and people were side-stepping them quickly, making noises of irritation.

"Come with me, we'll get out of the way," Yami said hastily, gesturing for her to follow, and he saw her shake her head stiffly before continuing to walk down the sidewalk.

Frowning, Yami watched her go, the top of her light brown hair barely visible over the crowd, and he pushed his way through, determined to follow her.

 _Get lost, get lost,_ Kaiba chanted to himself, no longer concerned with how people were perceiving him. His main goal was now to lose Yami.

"Kumi-san…wait!" Yami called, wondering if he could beguile her into an impromptu date.

Kaiba could see heads turning their way as people began standing aside to stare, and he lowered his head, letting his hair hang like two protective curtains over the sides of his face, his ears burning with the familiar feeling of humiliation.

To top it all off, Kaiba could hear whispering as he walked by.

" _It's Yugi Mutou!"_

 _"No, it's his twin, Yami!"_

 _"Is that his girlfriend? Did they fight? Poor girl…"_

 _"Wow, a fight? Between these two?"_

 _"I wouldn't wonder. She's out of his league."_

 _I_ am _out of his league,_ Kaiba thought arrogantly, and he stopped in his steps, elated as the realization hit him hard. _I am out of his league!_

"Kumi-san…I'm sorry I can't keep up," Yami said carefully, fully aware that attention was slowly being drawn to them. No! This was bad! He needed to hide her quickly!

If someone photographed Kumi before he did, featuring her in his debut portfolio wouldn't have much impact.

After a few more steps, she turned around and smiled gently at him, gazing down at him with a look of…contempt? Yami couldn't be sure. He shivered slightly and froze the moment her hand reached down to touch his, and suddenly, Yami found himself being pulled forward forcefully through the crowd.

Dizzy with arousal, Yami let her lead him down the street, staring at the shiny buckles on her boots.

The ground grew darker underneath them, and Yami realized she had led them down an empty street with less people, and they stopped at another deserted street corner.

 _Goddammit!_ Kaiba fumed, wondering what he could do to either get Yami to listen to him, or leave him alone. He just wanted a pair of goddamn shoes.

What the hell was Yami doing here? Wasn't he waiting for someone?

"You look nice…" Yami managed, staring at the soft folds of her peach scarf, wondering if he could grab ahold of it with both hands to pull her down for a kiss.

No, that was wrong. No kissing. They had just met. She probably didn't remember him.

Kaiba reached down for Yami's hand and traced his finger in his palm, his heart thudding furiously in his chest.

 _Waiting for someone?_

He watched Yami blink and stare at his lips with a blank expression for what seemed like an eternity.

He snapped his fingers in front of Yami's nose and watched Yami jerk back, blushing visibly in the dark.

 _Can't take your eyes off of me?_ Kaiba thought gleefully, tapping Yami's wrist and waiting for an answer.

"I'm not waiting for anyone—I mean, I was waiting for you," Yami corrected himself cleverly, throwing her a smile which he hoped didn't waver. "You didn't keep me waiting long. Where do you want to go?"

 _Nowhere with you, you fucking idiot_ , Kaiba growled internally, still flattered that Yami was still blatantly hitting on him without batting an eyelash.

He stabbed his nail into Yami's palm, writing viciously:

 _I'm not going anywhere with you. Leave me alone._

And Yami gave him with the most impressive pout he had ever seen in his life.

Shocked, Kaiba bit back a laugh. This was an expression that was unmatched by all the other shocked faces he had made on the dueling arena.

"Hey," Yami said playfully, seeing her eyes widen in the dark. "You promised me a date. Is that today? I almost forgot!"

 _Fuck._ Kaiba paled, realizing he had indeed said the word 'date' to Yami, but he didn't mean right here and right now. Clever bastard.

She was mute, Yami was certain of it now. All he had to do was keep charming her into a date.  
Of course, if she did speak, it would be too frightening.  
Her voice could probably summon the angels.

Didn't they say all pretty women could have a single glaring flaw? And if it was mutism, he could live with it.

They seemed to be communicating just fine!  
This meant she could hear him, or read his lips, right?

"What would you like to eat? Can I buy you a coffee?" Yami pressed, turning his hand over in her palm and giving her a warm squeeze, feeling a rush of happiness.

Her hand was so large, it almost felt like a familiar handshake.

Kaiba jerked his hand back, his skin burning with a strange sensation as he hastily wiped it on his denim shorts. Fine. He couldn't shake Yami off, so he was coming along.

He turned away from Yami and began walking back the way they came, hearing Yami call out to him again and stick closely by his side, gazing up at him with wide, adoring eyes.

"I've been thinking about you," Yami said seriously, his mouth going dry as he watched Kumi blink rapidly, her eyelashes fluttering wonderfully. "Have you thought about me at all? You do remember me, right?"

 _He really fucking likes me,_ Kaiba thought evilly, reaching down to touch Yami's hand again, and he wrote:

 _Behave, and I will kiss you._

"Behave…?" Yami breathed, feeling himself being yanked forward again, and he stumbled into step after Kumi's tall form, his cheeks burning in the cold night air.

For a kiss? He would do anything for a kiss!

Feeling as if he was walking on air, Yami fixated on the thin, gold and black chain of Kumi's purse strap as she led him back onto the busy street and into a shopping complex.

Kaiba tried not to let the anger show on his face as he caught a glimpse of his reflection passing by a store window.

A very tall woman was dragging a slender, spiky-haired man behind her, and Kaiba was suddenly grateful that he had chosen to wear boots without a heel.

It was an odd sight, but no one was looking at them twice.

Scanning the row of stores briefly, Kaiba's panic rose higher the longer he held onto Yami's hand while they walked through the complex.

Yami didn't mind. He was quite enjoying the fact that Kumi was willingly holding his hand.  
Her hand felt warm and familiar in his.  
This was definitely true love.  
What did he have to do to "behave"? How long would their kiss last? Would she let him touch her hair? It looked so soft….

Kaiba spotted the heart-shaped sign with a heeled shoe in the center and made a beeline for it, his nervousness rising.

He paused a few feet away from the door, his doubt clawing its way painfully up his chest. What the hell was he doing? He was here, masquerading as a woman, to buy a woman's pair of shoes.

This was wrong, wasn't it?

"What's the matter?" Yami asked perceptively, feeling her hand tighten around his so much, it almost began to hurt. Was this a store she had a bad experience at?

"Did they bother you? The salesman?" Yami wondered out loud, seeing Kumi give her head a tight shake.

"Well," Yami frowned, gazing down at the puffy sleeve of her cardigan, reaching his other hand out to cradle hers gently, "whatever it is, I'll be here."

Kaiba bit his tongue lightly and struggled with his emotions. Yami was being so fucking supportive…what the fuck.

"Come on. You want to go in, I'll go in with you," Yami said lightly, stepping in front of her and pulling her towards the door, nodding at the saleswoman who was standing by the front display.

Kaiba shook his head furiously, thinking he had changed his mind, but he was being led forwards anyway, and the saleswoman bowed at him, ignoring Yami completely.

"Welcome!" she said robotically. "Everything is buy one pair and get another pair twenty percent off."

She straightened up and looked the brunette right in the eye, expecting a polite response like 'thank you', but all she got was an arrogant look that disappeared behind a curtain of flowing brown hair.

Slightly irritated, the saleswoman watched the couple wander through an aisle, and she sighed tiredly.

Yami snuck a glance at Kumi, and noticed that her expression had brightened considerably while her eyes scanned the rows of shoes.

Her…blue eyes.

Yami blinked, his heart skipping beats in his chest as he watched the store lights sparkle in her unmistakably clear blue eyes.

They instantly reminded him of Kaiba, and Yami looked away quickly, a strange feeling surging in his chest. Anger? Lust? Jealousy?

He glanced down at himself and realized with horror and embarrassment that his boner was showing through his pants, and he quickly let go of Kumi's hand, ducking around an aisle and sitting down on a leather bench, crossing his legs tightly and willing himself to calm down.

Calm down.

Did he just get hard thinking about Kaiba's blue eyes? Or was it because Kumi was so stunningly beautiful, everything about her was arousing?

Kaiba had felt Yami let go of his hand and vanish, causing him to panic slightly. What had gotten into him? Following him quickly, he saw Yami sit down on a waiting bench before casually sliding out his phone, and Kaiba nodded to himself, relieved.

What a fucking gentleman. He was waiting in the store without embarrassment.

 _Too bad he's single,_ Kaiba thought wickedly, spying the dark blue heels his secretary had been wearing, and he lifted the display-shoe higher for inspection, running his hand along the side, sizing up the material.

Well-made, but relatively cheap.  
He didn't buy shoes in this price range.  
But he was here anyway….

"What size? Miss?" A soft voice came from his elbow, and Kaiba jumped, startled. He hadn't heard her come up behind him.

He almost opened his mouth to speak, but stopped, giving himself a mental kick before forcing a smile and holding up his fingers.

"E-Eleven," the saleswoman gasped, pressing a hand to her chest and attempting to hide her shock. "I'll be right back."

 _You won't have it in my size,_ Kaiba thought mildly, setting the shoe back down and deciding to grab Yami so they could leave.

Yami watched this exchange carefully. Kumi seemed well-versed in communicating with…sign language? He had no idea.

She was walking towards him, her hair bouncing beautifully on her shoulders, and Yami blinked rapidly, his vision blurring. She was too pretty, it was unreal.

How much of it was natural and how much of it was makeup?

Uncertainty clawed at his insides as she sat down beside him and smiled, and Yami could see every single dark eyelash framing her sparkling blue eyes. Wow. Wow. Wow….

Makeup couldn't do that, could it? Or maybe it was a contact lens?

He knew many girls who wore color-changing, eye-enlarging contacts during shoots. Her hair was brown…so her eyes could very likely be brown too. Dare he ask?

"Miss…here it is." The saleswoman bowed and placed a shoebox in Kumi's lap, straightening up quickly. "Is there another pair you'd like to see?"

Her eyes were not on him, but on Yami.

Kaiba shook his head and watched her leave, deciding that he hated her.

"Let me," Yami smiled at her, eager to please, and he lifted the lid off the box, thinking he had seen Yugi do this for Anzu many times. "Which foot do you prefer? Left or right?"

Kaiba froze in shock, unsure of what was happening. Was…Yami suggesting he put the shoe on his foot for him?! Why?! Was this the rules of chivalry? If so, his own chivalry was rusty!

"Any foot is fine," Yami said plainly, no longer waiting for an answer. He was now intent on touching Kumi's leg, and the thought consumed him deeply.

He dropped down on one knee and gently tugged at Kumi's boot, feeling her calf tense in his grip, and he lifted his head tentatively to look into her eyes, asking silently for her approval.

Kaiba couldn't breathe. His heart was stuck in his throat, and Yami's warm hand on his calf was causing his entire body to burn with a strange fire.

God…why was this man so fucking embarrassing?!  
They were in a public store for fuck's sake, and Yami wanted to put on a damn shoe for him like he didn't have the arms to do it himself?

 _Fine_ , Kaiba thought viciously, giving Yami a tight nod and curling his fingers along the edge of the bench, his palms sweating.

It was somewhat satisfying to see his rival kneeling before him on the floor, kneeling, taking off his boot.

Yami pulled the zipper down on the side of the boot and gave it a solid yank, pleased to see it slide off easily, revealing a beautiful, slender foot with elegant toes to match, all clothed in sheer pantyhose.

Feeling his head spin violently, Yami resisted the urge to lean forward to press his nose against her knee, and he picked up the heeled shoe from the box, slipping it onto her foot quickly, his boner aching and throbbing embarrassingly in his pants.

 _Hopefully, she will never notice,_ Yami prayed. She seemed enthralled by the shoe.

Satisfied, Kaiba gazed down at his own foot, quite pleased with the way it looked. It was indeed very comfortable. The heel even had a soft cushioning, which meant that if he stood in these for a while, it wouldn't hurt.

He tilted his foot this way and that, pausing as he stared at the odd bulge sitting just beneath Yami's stacked belts.

"Would you like both pairs on?" Yami asked innocently, his eyes fixated on her slim legs. The edges of her frayed denim shorts hugged her thighs wonderfully.

 _You're hard, you pervert,_ Kaiba thought evilly, giving his foot a playful wag, wondering if he could call the store attendant over so she could laugh at him for him.

"Yes or no?" Yami asked, seeing her give him a strange look.

Yami's eyes never left his face, and Kaiba was slowly growing irritated that Yami wouldn't look down.

On a whim, he pressed the pad of his shoe down against Yami's hardness and watched Yami jump, but remain very still, not breaking eye contact while his cheeks slowly reddened.

Feeling his own face also grow hot, Kaiba glanced down and viciously pressed the toe of his shoe harder against Yami's clothed erection, watching Yami's shaking hands reach out to gently caress his leg and begin sliding sensually up and down his inner calf.

His mouth suddenly went dry, and Kaiba bit his tongue, watching Yami lean forward and press his lips tightly against his knee, the heat from his breath sending a solid shiver up his spine.

Yami leaned away quickly but the feeling lingered.

Kaiba's pantyhose had caught some of the wetness from Yami's lips and was drying coolly across his knee. That was arousing. Yami's lips…on his knee was arousing.

Tensing, Kaiba felt Yami's palms running warmly up and down his calf again, and he made the mistake of making eye contact with Yami again, realizing that this entire time, Yami's intense violet eyes had never left his face.

"You like this pair?" Yami asked breathlessly, wondering why his voice sounded so hoarse. He was losing his mind. He wanted to shamelessly dry hump her leg, right here in the middle of the store.

He wanted her to let him masturbate on her thigh so he could cum on her pantyhose-covered leg, and he wanted to watch her step out of the pantyhose and….

Kaiba watched Yami's face darken, and his heart pounded thickly in his chest as he recognized this look. Determination…?

To his horror, he watched as Yami shifted his knees slightly apart and jutted up against the base of his shoe again, his eyes wide, asking for…?

Kaiba gave his foot a slight nudge and watched Yami slowly blink at him, clearly enjoying it.

 _You want me to step on you?_ Kaiba thought gleefully, angling his heel downwards along the carpet, dangerously close to Yami's balls. He gave his foot a soft, upwards jerk, and watched Yami's mouth fall open, his eyelids fluttering wildly, his cheeks growing redder by the second.

 _What? Did he just cum in his pants? From that? Pathetic!_ Kaiba crowed silently, seeing the saleswoman walking by in a nearby aisle, and he quickly withdrew his leg, afraid they had been seen.

Yami kept his hands on her calf, not caring who was around them. He grabbed her foot and peeled the heel off, pressing her toes against his hardness and looking her right in the eye, watching her mouth fall open prettily. Yes…more of that…?

 _You fucking…pervert_ , Kaiba thought maliciously, curling his toes and uncurling them against Yami's shaft, watching his eyes grow wide with desperation.

Wet and leaking from his tip, Yami was unable to stomach it anymore. He grabbed her slender ankle and pressed her foot into his crotch, slowly grinding himself on it while he leaned down to press another kiss on her inner knee, briefly wondering if he surged forward, how accurately his nose could hit her clit.

That was a myth, wasn't it? Yami couldn't be sure.

Shocked, Kaiba sat back and watched Yami shamelessly molest his leg, feeling his stomach curl wonderfully at the sight of his spiky-haired rival kissing his way up his thigh. Whoa. Dangerous. What the hell?

Panicking, Kaiba gave his knee a stiff jerk upwards, glancing around the store frantically.

 _Get off me, someone will see!_ Kaiba hissed to himself, giving Yami's crotch a firm nudge, but the only response he got was a firm thrust against his toes.

Yami grit his teeth, seeing red and green as her knee hit his chin, and it shocked him to his senses…slightly.

He sat back on his heels, hot all over, wishing he could dive at her and kiss her breathless, but the glare she was giving him clearly meant 'no'.

"Is it fitting well?"

Yami jerked his head up and leapt to his feet, bowing deeply at the saleswoman, hoping that by keeping his hands clasped in front of him, she would not notice.

But she had noticed. And she had caught Kaiba's panicked look when she had walked by behind Yami.

Kaiba nodded, feeling lightheaded. Wow, fucking caught. Good job, Yami, you horny bastard.

"Then I'll wait for your payment at the front!" the saleswoman chirped, giving the brunette a knowing look before walking away.

Shaking, Kaiba gathered the shoes back into the box and slapped away Yami's hand when he tried to help him put his own boot back on.

He grabbed Yami's hand and pressed the pad of his finger into his palm, writing hastily:

 _Wait for me outside. You got us in trouble._

"Then I'll apologize," Yami said, itching to jack off and not feeling sorry at all.

 _No!_ Kaiba screamed in his mind and pressed a hand to his face, resisting the urge to sigh.

He stood quickly and made his way to the register, wondering why there were now three women at the counter.

"Thank you, I'll check you out," one woman said, taking the box from him and moving to another register.

The other two women leaned over the counter and gave him a grave look.

"Are you okay? Do we need to call security?" the familiar saleswoman whispered, giving her co-worker a worried glance.

"Do I need to distract him to keep him here while the authorities get here? Do you know him?" her co-worker added, and Kaiba felt a mild headache coming on.

Well, time to lie and never come back here again.

He made a gesture for pen and paper, and was hastily handed a pen, along with the back of a receipt.

Bending forward, Kaiba wrote hastily:

 _My boyfriend. He was being punished. Please excuse us._

A paper bag with his shoes was sitting at the far end of the counter and Kaiba mustered up the sweetest smile he could, pointing at the bag, watching all three women blush simultaneously at him.

"Well you should extend his punishment for acting like a pervert in public," the familiar saleswoman said, giving him a stern nod. "Good night."

Kaiba hooked the bag onto his fingers and hurried out of the store without looking behind him once, glancing around for Yami.

He was nowhere to be seen.

Irritated, Kaiba's hand inched down to his purse for his phone before he realized…he didn't have Yami's number.

"I'm here!" Yami appeared behind him, looking flushed and stressed. "I'm sorry, did you get in trouble?"

 _No, you did._ Kaiba replied silently, and shook his head stiffly, holding up the bag with his shoe box inside.

Yami threw him a mischievous grin.

"Those are now my favorite pair of shoes. Please wear them often," Yami said politely, watching her cheeks tinge with a light pink.

 _I can never wear these again, ever,_ Kaiba thought viciously, _We're leaving…now!_

He reached down to grab Yami's hand, and to his surprise, Yami curled his fingers into his hand, hanging on to his arm playfully.

"I love that you're so tall," Yami said seriously, straining to catch her eye, and he swore she rolled her eyes. "The height difference might be strange, but it feels fine to me. I hope it doesn't bother you."

 _Oh it might bother you later_ , Kaiba thought darkly, feeling oddly like a normal couple as they made their way through the complex and out into the street.

The sky was inky blue, with only a few dark violet clouds floating at the tips of the tallest buildings, which were sparkling with night lights.

Yami took several deep breaths, smiling widely and feeling as if he was on the highest cloud.

If he wasn't mistaken, this girl liked him back.

Her actions spoke loudly, and sometimes, her haughty glares caused his heart to race.

Kaiba walked robotically down the street, still feeling Yami's fingers curled warmly around his hand, and he wondered where they were going. This was so…strange. This actually felt sort of like a date?

"Now, where's my kiss?" Yami said obnoxiously, intending to sound as demanding as possible. If she let him do that to her leg…there were lots of other things they could do…!

Kaiba tucked his tongue inside his cheek and bit it hard, wondering how he would survive the evening. Fine. He would kiss Yami quickly and never see him again as much as he could help it.

Yami suddenly spotted a crop of spiky hair beside a tall, blonde woman, and he panicked, grabbing Kumi by the arm and leading her in the opposite direction.

Kaiba bit his lip to keep himself from shouting angrily at Yami, twisting his head around to see Anzu and Yugi gazing right at him, looking confused.

Oh shit. They had almost been spotted.

He hurriedly fell into step beside Yami, immensely grateful.

They turned the corner and headed down a darker street, away from the main road, and Kaiba breathed a small sigh of relief.

He was done for the night. His scalp itched from the heaviness of the extensions, and the pressure from Yami's hand in his had him on edge.

Yami scanned the empty street and happily leaned against the cold brick wall of a building, pulling Kumi out of the sidewalk to stand beside him, his heart thumping loudly in his chest.

"Now…kiss me now," Yami urged, wishing there was a streetlamp somewhere near them, but the closest one was a few feet away.

Kaiba panicked, wondering if Yami would touch his face and smear his makeup during the kiss. He needed his face to remain intact, at least until he got safely back in his car.

He grabbed blindly in the darkness for Yami's hand, and after a moment of awkward silence, he carefully wrote into Yami's palm:

 _Rules of the kiss:  
No touching my face.  
No touching my hair._

"Right, I won't touch you!" Yami cried, yanking his hand away from her tight grasp and feeling his palm itch from the way she was writing into it so often.

 _I don't trust you,_ Kaiba thought nastily, reaching out for Yami's wrists again and holding onto them tightly, feeling Yami fight him weakly, protesting and sounding disappointed.

"Kumi-san…I promise I won't touch your hair…or your face," Yami managed, feeling cold hands capture both of his wrists, forcing his elbows to bend so much that the backs of his hands touched his shoulders.

His arms were immobilized, and Yami felt a pang of fear. She was…much stronger and larger than he was…!

Warm lips came down across his cheeks, and Yami froze as a hot breath panned down the side of his nose. The flowery scent of her perfume washed over him like a calm wave, and he parted his own lips, holding his breath, feeling her kiss him softly at first, and then harder.

Shaking and trembling all over, Yami struggled to remain standing as his knees began to weaken. She tasted like…something sweet, but the second her tongue slipped into his mouth, the bitter tang of coffee lingered on his tongue.

Kaiba felt his head spin, and he felt Yami relax in his grip, letting him do as he pleased. The thought of his rival submitting to him was more than enough to stir him up and spur him on to give the roof of Yami's mouth a teasing lick for a second time…a third time, before moving to suck lightly on his bottom lip, and a voice in the back of his head screamed at him to stop.

After what seemed like an eternity, Kaiba managed to pull away, and he felt Yami surge forward strongly, trying to kiss him again, but missing horribly and stumbling into his side.

 _Ow,_ Kaiba thought angrily, adjusting his purse strap onto his shoulder and backing away slowly, wondering if Yami was going to insist they keep kissing.

"One more," Yami insisted, his lips swelling with a strange sensation. "I couldn't even feel that."

Kaiba shook his head furiously and walked away from Yami as quickly as he could, aiming to get back onto the main street.

Yami stood, rooted to the spot, feeling quite dejected as he watched her dash off and disappear down the street.

Great. He had scared her off. What he should have said was, "Can I have your phone number?"

 _Now what?!_ Yami thought frantically, knowing that he couldn't follow her without being persecuted by strangers in the crowd if she were to act distressed.

Numb with distress, he walked slowly towards the main street, his eyes watering with a mixture of disappointment at himself and the brightness from the signs.

Passerbys were staring at him intensely, and Yami ignored them, his body heavy with exhaustion and anger.

"Oh my gosh…Yami!"

Yami turned around slowly and saw Yugi, Anzu, and Mai rushing towards him, their faces pale with shock.

"What happened to your face?!" Yugi asked shrilly, pulling him aside while Anzu pulled out a white tissue from a strange plastic pack out of her purse and began dabbing at his face.

"Looks like you were making out with a fan girl," Mai sniffed, her nose still buried in her phone, her manicured fingers flying across the surface. "Way to be subtle. Looks like you got punched."

"Punched?" Yami echoed, his stomach knotting with confusion as he saw the tissue come away from his face stained with red lipstick. Oh.

"There's even some on your forehead!" Yugi said nervously, taking the wipe from Anzu and brushing it across Yami's skin, and Yami winced from the cold of the wipe.

"Who was she?" Mai drawled, and Yugi glared at her. "Nevermind. Who cares?"

"That would explain why you weren't answering your phone," Anzu said gently, taking the wipe from Yugi and sealing it in a small plastic bag before tossing it back into her purse.

Yami watched this motion in awe, and felt a hard nudge on his shoulder.

"Ow, what, Aibou?" Yami asked nervously, giving his shoulder a rub, and Yugi gave him a playful smile.

"What was her name?"

"Kumi," Yami said quickly, seeing Mai perk up instantly. "Twice now, she's gotten away without giving me a number or username."

"Again, probably not even her real name, love," Mai said sympathetically. "Are we leaving now? I've got an early morning tomorrow."

Yami nodded stiffly, trying not to let disappointment overwhelm him, and he watched Yugi lift up the plastic bag on his arm and pat him reassuringly.

"Got your food here. Don't worry, she'll come back," he said, throwing Anzu a bright smile and holding out his arm. "Shall we?"

Anzu giggled and linked her arm through his, and Yami watched them with envy as they headed back to the car.

* * *

 **Author's note:**

a kiss and a pervy yami. where to next? xDD Kaiba probably is never gonna go out in drag ever again LOL

Leave a review!

Thank you, YLJE, for your edits!

xo  
Ugli


	3. staring up at the clouds

Kaiba packed the last of his makeup into a clear bag and stuffed it into the farthest corner of his drawer before slamming it shut and glaring at it.

Wonderful. Fucking great.

Somehow, his second excursion while dressed as a woman had resulted in running into Yami again, and this time, there was hand-holding, kissing, and a strange molestation of his leg.

Thankfully he had managed to clean himself up after messing up his lipstick while kissing Yami, and Kaiba mentally kicked himself for even letting it get that far.

 _No more!_ Kaiba vowed to himself, sitting down on the edge of his bed and falling back heavily onto the mattress, his head spinning terribly. _Never again._

The only good thing he had gotten out of it was a pair of comfortable heels…which he would never wear again.

He shut his eyes and drifted off into a light slumber, angry with himself and eager to forget.

* * *

Yami slumped down onto his bed, gazing around his sparkling clean apartment, still feeling restless.

He had scrubbed every corner to perfection and had even reorganized his closet out of sheer anxiety.

It had been a month…a whole month, since he had seen Kumi out and about in the shopping district, and some nights, he had rubbed his own dick raw at the thought of her kissing him in the dark street.

The imagery was arousing, but it was getting repetitive.

Raking a hand through his spiky blonde bangs, Yami shut his eyes and pressed his face down into his clean sheets, inhaling the fresh scent, trying to imagine Kumi's face again.

All he kept fixating on were her eyes…her clear blue eyes, which reminded him so vividly of Seto Kaiba.

 _….Seto Kaiba!_ Yami sat up so quickly, his head spun.

He grabbed his phone off his nightstand and leapt off the bed, intent on paying Kaiba a visit.

Why hadn't he thought of this before?! Kaiba could help him find this elusive beauty!

Yami grabbed his jacket on a second thought before dashing out the door and barely remembering to lock it behind him.

This was good. Seeing Seto Kaiba today was a good idea.

* * *

Kaiba sat at his desk, nodding off slowly before his head fell off his knuckles and he jerked awake again.

Shaking himself angrily, he palmed his face, wishing there was a magic potion he could use to erase Yami's face from his mind.

Ever since that night in the shopping district, he had been unable to shake Yami's wide-eyed expression from his mind. And he also couldn't forget the way Yami had grabbed his hand…or squeezed his leg….

Letting his breath out in a slow hiss, Kaiba tapped absently on the calendar icon on his desktop, counting the weeks. Four. It had been four weeks since that incident.

A whole month had gone by and Yami's desperate expression was still stuck vividly at the front of his mind.

Why wouldn't it go away?!

 _I wonder if he is single,_ Kaiba mused, his head heavy with exhaustion.

Whatever the case, it was embarrassing so he would forget about it.

The phone rang softly on his desk with the light blinking blue, indicating his secretary was calling, and Kaiba picked it up tiredly, pressing the receiver to his ear. "Yes?"

"Mr. Mutou is here looking for you without an appointment. He wants to come in past the second floor. Do you want to let him in?"

"Yami or Yugi?" Kaiba asked instinctively before he could stop himself, and there was a long pause on the other end before his secretary responded with a hesitant, "I don't know, sir…?"

"Fine, let him in. Doesn't matter anyway," Kaiba growled, slamming the phone down and standing from his desk, thinking he would splash some water on his face and look presentable.

He felt like a walking zombie, so he figured he must look like one.

 _A little bit of concealer could help right about now_ , Kaiba thought to himself while walking into the bathroom.

If it was Yugi, so what?  
If it was Yami…what would he want?

Yami stood apprehensively at the doorway of Kaiba's office. The pretty woman knocked softly on the glass doors and they waited for an answer.

Unable to help himself, Yami let his gaze travel down lower, taking in her soft white blouse and matching white skirt…paired with a very familiar pair of dark blue heels.

If he wasn't mistaken…weren't those…?

"Your shoes are nice. They look familiar," Yami commented carefully, and Kaiba paused on the other side of the door, his blood running cold with fury. Was this guy hitting on his secretary? The foot fetish was real, wasn't it?!

"Th-Thank you!" Kaiba heard his secretary respond politely and repeat information he already knew. "I got them at Love Heel in Shinjuku! Do you have friends who shop there?"

"I'm not sure," Yami commented vaguely, thinking he wouldn't be able to live if Kumi considered him as 'just a friend'.

 _Fucking liar_ , Kaiba thought coldly to himself as he swung the door open and gave Yami a steady glare.

"What do you want?" he said icily, watching Yami's face brighten instantly.

"Kaiba! I need…a favor!" Yami managed a smile, and pushed past him into his office, waving at the secretary before closing the door hastily.

"I'm all out of favors," Kaiba shot back, realizing how much he had missed opening his mouth and actually speaking in front of Yami. Writing short sentences into his palm had been so wearing.

"No, please, really, I need your help, " Yami said, sounding slightly frantic, and he sat himself down on the couch in the middle of the room, attempting to look composed, but Kaiba could tell he was coming apart at the seams.

Was it about…what he thought it was?

"There's this girl…" Yami began, and Kaiba rolled his eyes so hard, he saw green.

"Oh fuck no," Kaiba interrupted, almost crowing with victorious laughter. "I'm not about to help you stalk some poor girl."

He walked to the tall windows and gazed out of them nervously, feeling his heart race painfully in his chest.  
Oh fuck.  
Yami was looking for him.  
Kumi didn't exist.  
Too bad.

There was a long silence, and Kaiba wondered why Yami had not retaliated, and he turned around to see Yami sitting with his head lowered so much, his blonde bangs obscured his eyes.

"It's not…stalking," Yami whispered, feeling his stomach churn. He knew full well that it was stalking. He was asking Kaiba to do an illegal, despicable act.

"Yeah, whatever," Kaiba said plainly, sitting down at his desk and choosing to observe Yami from afar. Being too close to him was dangerous. His palms would sweat, and his heart would race, and his ears would get hot while his stomach dropped to his feet…

 _Oh fuck, I'm not in love with him!_ Kaiba thought angrily to himself, watching Yami raise his head to look him right in the eye, causing his heart to skip a few beats.

"How did you know?" Yami said hoarsely, his fingers tightening around his knees so much, they turned white. "How did you know I wanted to find her?"

"It's so obvious," Kaiba scrambled to lie his way out of his own mistake. "You said 'favor' and 'girl' in the same sentence. If it's not finding her, what else do you want? I couldn't possibly help you any other way."

"Please, Kaiba," Yami implored, rising to his feet and approaching Kaiba's desk, unable to tear his eyes away from the way his fingers were laced together in front of his mouth. "I'll do anything. Anything."

"You'll do anything," Kaiba repeated in monotone, trying to hide his glee. "Will you give up looking for her?"

"Anything but that," Yami declared, placing his palms down on Kaiba's desk and leaning closer to him. "I am in love with her. I need to tell her."

"Please," Kaiba scoffed sarcastically, feeling his cheeks redden almost instantly at this, so he swiveled his chair to face the window again, trying to calm his rapidly pounding heart. "You don't know anything about love."

"And you do?" Yami said angrily, walking around Kaiba's desk and standing beside him threateningly. " _Please_ find her for me. I feel like I'm dying."

"An exaggeration…" Kaiba said weakly, hearing his own voice waver uncharacteristically.

"No, now _you_ don't understand," Yami said loftily, leaning against the edge of Kaiba's desk with his arms crossed and staring down at the sparkling buildings below them. "It feels like love, both times I've met her—"

"A total of two times?!" Kaiba jeered, unable to help himself, and he earned a vicious glare from Yami which made his pants uncomfortably tight.

This reaction was so different. Where was the desperate, wide-eyed 'gentleman'?

"Yes, both times," Yami said tightly, unable to look Kaiba in the eye, afraid that he would accidently grow hard just by doing so. "I'm putting my pride aside to ask you for help."

"Oh, you're putting more than your pride aside," Kaiba said wickedly, enjoying the way Yami's ears were steadily reddening. This was fucking hilarious!

"What do you want?" Yami hissed, turning to face Kaiba with his fists clenched at his sides. "Tell me what it is and I'll do it."

"I don't know," Kaiba said mockingly, his mind racing with endless possibilities. "Lose to me, publicly, in a duel."

"Done," Yami said emptily, relaxing significantly before he turned to face the window again, and Kaiba couldn't help but express his surprise.

"What? That's it?" Kaiba asked, unable to believe his eyes and ears, retracting his statement quickly. "No. I don't want you to just concede like that."

"Make up your fucking mind," Yami growled, staring so hard at a tiny stop sign on the street below, his eyes burned. "I know what I want. Just tell me what you want, so what _I_ want can happen."

Kaiba blinked, processing this slowly, unsure if this was a safe situation for himself anymore.

It seemed that Yami was ready to agree to truly _anything_ for another chance to meet his female alter ego. Losing a duel, even publicly, meant nothing to him!

It was almost…pathetic.

"Just to be clear of our terms," Kaiba said frantically, attempting to hide his fear beneath his sarcasm, "You want me to find this girl? And what, kidnap her?"

"No!" Yami cried, giving him a horrified look. "I just want to know where she is."

"So, you want me to give you her whereabouts. Her address, so you can stalk her and show up at her door," Kaiba continued nastily, watching Yami shake his head mutely at him, his expression morphing into one of distress.

"I mean, I just want to…perhaps, meet her by 'chance'," Yami said vaguely, knowing Kaiba was judging him, but he didn't care. "I won't show up at her door. That's scary behavior, even for me."

"Oh…I don't know," Kaiba drawled, recalling the way Yami had humped his leg in the middle of the shoe store. "Well, I can't promise I'll find her—"

"Then never mind," Yami insisted, his cheeks now fully pink. "This was a waste of time. I'm leaving."

"Wait, wait," Kaiba said quickly, his heart leaping into his throat as he realized this was a great opportunity to pick Yami's brain about what he really thought of…Kumi.

"Okay, give me her description. All of it. And…" He paused threateningly after seeing Yami's face light up quickly. "I need to know why."

"Why…what?" Yami frowned, his mind buzzing with excitement.

"Why you want to fucking find her so badly," Kaiba said impatiently, understanding that the moment he had said he would help, Yami's brain had gone out the window.

"I told you, I like her," Yami replied, frowning thoughtfully before adding, "Oh, and I want to ask her to model a swimsuit for me."

Kaiba blinked and almost choked on his own spit mid-swallow.

"You…wh-what?" Kaiba whispered, feeling his mouth grow dry and his blood freeze in his veins.

"A bikini model, Kaiba," Yami repeated impatiently, looking strangely at a point over his shoulder. "I want to take her photos and send them to my publisher. I want her to be the main girl in my portfolio."

"You can't do that!" Kaiba gasped, feeling a mild headache coming on. Oh fuck…oh god. Yami wanted…swimsuit photos...of a man!

"Why her?" Kaiba heard himself say, sounding slightly mad. "There are plenty of other girls in the fucking… _world!"_

"No, it has to be her," Yami said stubbornly, shaking his head at him and pointing at his laptop. "Here, now I'll give you her description and the locations where I've seen her."

"Wait, wait," Kaiba breathed, holding up a hand and feeling as if his heart was about to explode out of his chest with a mixture of either laughter or fear.

"I'm serious, Kaiba, and I can see that it's funny to you," Yami said, his anger rising quickly. "Help me out, as a fellow man. I know you can understand my urgency."

"Yeah, I get it," Kaiba said mildly, pulling up a blank document and hovering his shaking fingers over his keyboard. "You have an urgency to fuck her."

There was another long silence, and Kaiba tilted his head to the side, daring to sneak a glance at Yami, seeing him glare silently back at him with his face as red as an apple.

"You are vulgar," Yami said finally, and he watched Kaiba throw his head back and laugh heartily, the sound echoing pleasantly around the office, and his stomach clenched with an odd feeling.

His teeth were very white. And now that he had taken the time for a closer look, Kaiba's sharp cheekbones slightly resembled Kumi-san's.

"Okay, I'm waiting for a description…" Kaiba said shakily, trying to control himself but failing terribly.

Yami was going to hate him for this…if he ever found out. But he would never find out, so this was fine.

"Thank you," Yami bristled, and he began listing her traits off the top of his head. "Long brown hair, she usually keeps it in curls, pale skin…blue eyes…"

"So…this is me, with long hair," Kaiba said evilly, knowing this would evoke a reaction from Yami, and he received another long, cold glare with his cheeks impossibly red.

"Keep talking, or you'll never find her," Kaiba said loftily, throwing Yami a smirk, deeply pleased with his rival's embarrassment. When the tables were turned, it was exhilarating.

"That's all I've got," Yami said nervously, thinking he didn't even know how tall Kumi was. "I don't know her exact height because she was wearing heeled shoes, and I don't know if her blue eyes are even real?"

Kaiba blinked and paused, his heart thundering in his ears at this comment. What? What the fuck was Yami saying?

"I'm not following," Kaiba said bluntly, turning to face Yami and seeing him look away hastily, the tips of his ears still cherry red.

"I'm thinking her hair and eye color might be fake," Yami explained miserably, clasping his hands together and lowering his head. "Her hair had an odd sheen to it in certain lights, which either means extensions, or…a wig. And her eyes…could be contacts. I don't know."

There was another long pause before Kaiba could find his voice, wondering if he had been discovered.

"Well, great. Fake hair, and fake eyes…I don't think she's real," Kaiba said nervously. "How can you even tell?"

"I can tell," Yami said heavily, his shoulders sagging visibly, and Kaiba tried to hide his shock.

Wh-What the fuck?!  
Well, that was really hard not to take personally.  
Yami knew he was a fucking fake.

"The girls I work with are all heavily made-up. In a pinch, I know enough to apply some base makeup…not as well as her, but she was definitely heavily made-up," Yami rambled, and Kaiba listened in shocked silence.

"Maybe that's just what I like. I don't know. But she had…made-up nails too," Yami continued numbly, "her clothes were perfect, not a single wrinkle. Everything about her was very artificial, in an almost 'too good to be true' type of way."

"So, she's a robot," Kaiba said unhelpfully, typing the word 'robot' into the document, and Yami's hand slammed down heavily beside his laptop so violently, his desk rattled.

"Robot or not…" Yami hissed through gritted teeth, thoroughly fed up with Kaiba's insensitive and arrogant behavior, "I want to find her. So, what will it take?"

 _What will it take?_ Kaiba felt himself sway in his seat before turning to give Yami a wicked smile, knowing this would deter him from finding Kumi once and for all.

"Get down on the floor…and lick the bottom of my shoe," Kaiba heard himself say, and his face split into a wide grin. There was no way in fucking hell Yami would—

"Fine," Yami said darkly, turning away and folding his arms across his chest once more. "Do you want me to do that now? Or later, when you've found her?"

Deeply disturbed, Kaiba wondered if he ought to gloat, but he decided against it.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" he asked, inserting as much disgust as he could muster into his tone.

"I want to touch her," Yami said wildly, losing his composure and looking Kaiba in the eye for the first time since he had entered the office. "I want to spend a full, uninterrupted day with her. I want to make her my girlfriend. I can't stop thinking about her!"

"Okay…" Kaiba said nervously, his heart leaping into his throat as he realized he was fully responsible for the way Yami was behaving right now.  
This was dangerous.  
Yami was dangerous like this…did he know?!

"Now write down her stage name," Yami insisted, pleased that he had shocked Kaiba into silence. "It's Kumi. It might be real, it might not be…"

Kaiba zoned out and frantically struggled for a solution, trying to find a way to shut Yami up for good.

 _She is a he, and she is me_ , Kaiba thought miserably, feeling a solid tap on his shoulder, and he turned to see Yami glaring furiously at him. "Keep writing it down, or you'll forget."

What would Yami do if he found out that his darling Kumi had a penis?  
Would he still be 'in love' with her then?  
And Yami was right. He knew nothing about love.  
Well, maybe now was a good time to find out if he 'loved' Yami in return….

"You know what?" Kaiba said lightly, easing his laptop shut and slowly rising to his feet. "I can't focus when I'm hungry."

"It's nine in the morning," Yami said coldly, thinking Kaiba was just dodging him. "Sit down and keep writing what I tell you."

"I skipped breakfast," Kaiba lied, unable to believe that he was trying to ask Yami out on an impromptu date. "Come eat something with me."

"No," Yami declined, looking away pointedly again, and Kaiba felt another rush of anger.

Why was it that here, Yami couldn't look at his face for two seconds during a conversation, but when he was dressed-up as Kumi, Yami couldn't tear his gaze away?

"Come have lunch with me, or you'll never find her," Kaiba threatened easily, watching Yami tense and curl his fingers into his palms.  
He knew how to deal with this side of Yami.

Blackmail, threats, shouting, and the occasional lie.  
Kaiba slowly made his way to the door, feeling cold all over.

It was the Yami that emerged in the presence of Kumi that made him uneasy.

Yami narrowed his eyes at Kaiba's back, feeling a rush of frustration towards him. They always had to do things his way, or things never got done.

"No, I'll wait here, or I'll come back," Yami said stiffly, walking to the door and feeling his stomach churn with disappointment.

He quickly strode to the elevators and pressed the button, wondering why he was even here. This was a mistake. Kaiba only had selfish goals.

Kaiba wavered on the spot, staring at Yami's slender back waiting by the elevator. That…didn't work out as planned. Nothing ever went according to plan, especially when it came to Yami.

This was a dangerous situation. He needed to control it…now.

"Wait," Kaiba called, carefully sliding his phone out of his pocket and watching Yami turn apprehensively to face him.

"I'll text you when I find her," Kaiba said, feeling his tongue swell with the lie.

He needed time to sort himself out, so this would keep Yami at bay for now.

Yami nodded silently and held out his phone. Kaiba tried not to feel anything as he approached Yami and took his phone in his hands to enter in his own number before handing it back, watching Yami march into the elevator without a glance backwards.

The doors slid shut with a soft whoosh, and Kaiba let his breath out slowly as panic began to set in.

Fuck. Fuck. Fucking fuck.  
Yami was on the prowl…no, Yami was dangerously determined, trying to find Kumi at all costs.

Kaiba let his breath out slowly, willing himself to calm down and think.

How did you make a determined man give up on an attractive woman?

 _I have no fucking idea!_ Kaiba cried desperately to himself, turning to face his secretary, staring at the soft swir ofl hair piled atop her head. She was an attractive woman, right? Then she would know!

"Hey." Kaiba spoke before he had time to compose his thoughts, and he cursed himself internally again, sweating slightly. "What do you do when a guy doesn't know when to back off?"

His secretary lifted her head, looking confused. "Are you talking to me, Mr. Kaiba?"

"Yes, who the fuck else?" Kaiba hissed impatiently, curling his fingers into his palms, which were still damp with nervous sweat. "A guy who keeps hanging onto you, asking for dates. How do you tell him to fuck off?"

"Oh, um…a persistent guy…?" she repeated, looking quite taken aback, her eyelashes fluttering as she blinked rapidly. "I'd just give him the cold shoulder. Usually that works."

"What happens when that doesn't work?" Kaiba pressed, beginning to feel more and more desperate. He had already gone past the point of using the cold shoulder against Yami. Yami was on the hunt for him! He was the tiny mouse, and Yami was the circling eagle.

His secretary frowned worriedly, sensing his distress.

"Is this a personal issue a friend of yours is having?" she asked kindly, and she noticed Kaiba stiffen visibly, clearly meaning _'yes'_.

"Well, I would just be more forward with her," she said firmly, nodding with conviction. "Don't let the other guy get into her space, and be the gentleman. You will definitely look good compared to that creep."

Kaiba blinked, realizing she was misunderstanding the situation completely. Completely!

"Unhelpful," he snapped, deciding that discussing this with her was a bad idea after all, and he turned to walk back into his office, hearing her call after him.

"Well, then what is it?!" she cried, sounding worried. "You'll need to give me more details, Mr. Kaiba. How do you expect me to help if I don't know anything?"

"I'm not competing for attention from this mystery girl," Kaiba said, exasperated, whirling around to face her once more, deciding to try again, because he was almost out of options. "There is just…a girl, and a guy. He wants to photograph her, and find out where she lives—"

"Oh my god!" she gasped, pressing a prettily manicured hand to her chest. "Then you call the police, Mr. Kaiba! He sounds like a perverted criminal!"

Kaiba grit his teeth so hard, he saw green.

"He's harmless," he heard himself say, and his secretary shook her head stiffly, sounding extremely distressed. "No! That is not correct. When men act like that, they are no longer harmless. The girl is in danger! Do you know her?!"

"Of course I fucking know her," Kaiba replied, on the brink of delirium, "or I wouldn't be asking."

"File a police report," his secretary said firmly, folding her arms across her chest and looking increasingly more solemn. "Does she need a place to stay? I have a spare room…I can clean it up!"

"Don't bother, it'll be fine," Kaiba said coldly, striding quickly back into the safety of his office and slamming the door behind him, feeling slightly lightheaded.

His phone buzzed in his pocket and he slid it out wearily, reading the message quickly.

 **[unknown number]:** how long will it take?

 _Fuck you, Yami_ , Kaiba growled, lifting his phone up to quickly reply with, _"As long as it will take. shut the fuck up."_

He silenced all notifications from Yami's number and palmed his face painfully, hating everything.

He was screwed until he found a permanent solution to deter Yami from wanting to see Kumi.

* * *

Yami sat rigidly at his computer, staring blankly at a news article, not really seeing or reading it at all.

For the past two days, ever since Kaiba had promised to help him find Kumi, he had been obsessively checking his phone, on the brink of exhaustion.

He pressed his cheek down on the surface of his desk, closing his eyes momentarily, listening to the silence ringing in his ears, which after moment, morphed into his phone ringing across his desk.

Yami pried his eyes open sleepily, realizing he had fallen asleep. He grabbed his phone and checked who had called him.

There was no call, only a barrage of text messages, a few from Kaiba and a few from an unknown number.

 **Seto Kaiba:** just so you know, I lost sleep over this

 **Seto Kaiba** : I even did you one better. Thank me later you shameless mf

 **Seto Kaiba:** now, you owe me.

His curiosity peaked. Yami read the unknown messages slowly, his heart pounding thickly in his ears.

 **[unknown number** ]: hi! You must be the photographer? I'm so happy and flattered you remember me, but I'm going to respectfully decline your offer! Just so _(message of 1 of 2)_

 **[unknown number]:** _(message 2 of 2)_ you know, I'm really not that pretty! Hahaha (star) I'm sure there are plenty of other girls who would do better in front of a camera than me! Thank you!

 _That should do it_ , Kaiba thought ruefully, leaning back into his chair and staring blankly at the TV across from his bed.

He weighed the second phone in his hand, wondering why this action felt so familiar. After all, this wasn't so different from him masquerading as another man...online, or in real life. People did shit like this all the time! The only difference here was…Yami thought he was a girl.

His phone buzzed in his hand and he glanced down at it, already hating the first few words Yami had used.

 **Yami:** No, don't ever say that about yourself, Kumi-san! Please reconsider!

 _I said no,_ Kaiba thought sourly, pressing his thumbs down so hard on his screen, he saw tiny discolorations appear.

Yami threw himself down on his bed, elated. He quickly added Kumi's number into his phone as 'Angel' and a couple messages came immediately afterwards.

 **Angel:** You know? I told a friend about you. She said I should report you

 **Angel:** to the police. What you're doing is considered harassment.

Blinking nervously, Yami's stomach twisted strangely at this comment and he frowned. Was this behavior considered creepy?  
How the hell was he supposed to know?!

He tapped Mai's name into his phone on a whim and sent her a tentative message, asking for guidance.

Kumi-san was just shy, that was all! Once girls saw how pretty they looked in the photos, Yami knew they were instantly more than willing to try out different outfits and makeup looks.

Kaiba rolled over onto his side, tucking his arm underneath his head, pressing his pillow deeper against his face, willing himself to forget everything Yami-related.

It wouldn't bother him so much if Yami responded immediately, but Yami was taking an unusually long time to reply.

Yami read Mai's texts slowly, again and again, his breathing shallow with anxiety.

 **Notyour_valentine:** ok yami listen. listen.

 **Notyour _valentine:** I know you're thinking she's amazing and has "potential"

 **Notyour _valentine:** but some girls just don't *want* the attention, okay?

 **Notyour _valentine:** i know that's hard for you to believe

 **Notyour _valentine:** so just respect her requests and if she asks u to leave her alone, you leave her the fuck alone, or she will report you, and trust me you don't want THAT on your record.

 _Fine, new angle,_ Yami thought angrily, shoving his pillow aside in frustration.

He picked up his phone and carefully composed a reply to Kumi-san.

Kaiba's phone buzzed and he ignored it, choosing to turn it off completely. He shoved it into the drawer of his nightstand and rolled over in bed, wondering if he ought to feel pleased about having rejected Yami harshly so many times.

* * *

 **Author's note:**

Yami asks kaiba for help. It went...well.

Find me on tumblr as UGLIFISH!

YLJE, thank you for your edits all day err day!

Xx  
Ugli


	4. wondering if I've died

A week passed. And another week passed.

Yami was growing increasingly more and more frustrated.

The text he had sent Kumi-san two weeks ago had been viciously ignored.

Desperate, Yami decided to pay Kaiba another visit.

He was already standing at the revolving glass doors of the Kaiba Corporation skyscraper at ten in the evening like an idiot.

Tapping his foot against the cement, Yami turned around and hurried down the shallow steps, changing his mind about going in.

His phone buzzed twice in his pocket and he froze, wondering excitedly if it was Kumi.

He dug it out quickly, disappointed to see Kaiba's name glowing across his screen.

 **Seto Kaiba:** what the fuck do you want? Go away.

 _Ah, he can see me!_ Yami thought begrudgingly, and he quickly tapped out his reply.

Kaiba was at home, sitting at his desk, frowning wearily at the tiny spiky-haired figure in the security-feed square at the top right corner of his laptop screen, and his phone buzzed with Yami's text.

 **Y-creep** : Kaiba! Good timing! I came by to see you!

Kaiba grit his teeth and shot Yami a cold message.

 **Seto Kaiba:** I said. Go. Away.

 **Seto Kaiba:** there's no one there. Everyone's gone home.

And to his dismay, Yami's reply was swift and clever.

 **Y-creep:** I know. It's quite late. Send me a car! I'll wait here.

 _Nope,_ Kaiba thought angrily, texting so fast, he misspelled several words in his haste, and he saw Yami glance up to wave at him through the security camera, causing his stomach to curl strangely.

 **Seto Kaiba:** just say wht you want to say ad gtfo

 _Rude,_ Yami thought, disgruntled, wondering if Kaiba was too tired to text, because his spelling was poor, so he pressed the call button.

Kaiba frantically declined the call, his anger rising along with his annoyance, and his phone vibrated with an irritated message.

 **Y-creep:** hey, how am I supposed to say anything if you don't pick up?

Clicking the phone off and pressing his face into his hands, Kaiba took several deep breaths, willing himself to calm down.

Just when he thought he had managed to forget the events from the shoe store and shake Yami from his mind, his rival had appeared again…this time, too close for comfort.

He had already given him Kumi's number, but Yami still wouldn't give up after being rejected so many times. Was it…really time to call the fucking police?!

 _No,_ Kaiba berated himself angrily, sitting up straighter in his chair.

He hadn't worked out all the possible angles himself yet.  
He didn't need the fucking _authorities_ to keep his horny rival in check.  
This was something he could do himself…right?

But just in case….

Kaiba tapped on his secretary's number in his phone and composed a hasty text and sent it, wondering if she would even respond this time of night. Talking to him past office hours wasn't really part of her job, but maybe she would be interested in a continuation of this petty drama?

To his mild surprise, she responded within seconds, and Kaiba read her message slowly, digesting her words.

 **Sasaki_san:** Mr. Kaiba! What a surprise! Well…like you said, if you don't mind me giving my opinion, then I'm going to be painfully honest.

 _Go ahead,_ Kaiba thought dryly, sending her a "yes" in response and watching the text bubble float at the bottom of his screen for a bit before a block of text hovered into his view.

 **Sasaki_san:** if he is at her door, and he really is there to either apologize for his actions or to make amends, I suggest caution.

 **Sasaki_san:** if you don't know why he's there, ask him to kindly leave her a voice message before she opens the door.

 _Already tried that, and I don't want to talk to him_ , Kaiba mused, a sour taste lingering in his mouth. Yami was…really off-putting sometimes!

Another message buzzed his phone, and Kaiba's blood ran cold, his vision blurring slightly as he read Yami's message.

 **Y-creep:** no need to send a car. I found my own ride. (thumbs up)

 **Y-creep:** will be at your gate in 10 mins!

 _No…no no, fucking no!_ Kaiba balked silently, dropping all pretense and deciding to tell his secretary the truth.

His fingers flew across the screen, matching the speed of his nervously pounding heart.

 _"Okay, there was a slight error in the story. A guy won't leave /me/ alone, and I can't make him shut up or go away. Now, what is your suggestion in this situation?"_

And Kaiba held his breath, hating the silence coming from his phone.

Come on…why the hell was she taking so damn long to respond?!

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, her reply popped up.

 **Sasaki_san** : o-okay…well, no difference then?

 _No difference?!_ Kaiba fumed, writing his thoughts out exactly.

" _There's a world of difference!"_

 **Sasaki_san:** If he's harassing you, just report him! Unless…ah, I see.

 _What?! What is it?_ Kaiba thought wildly, wondering if there was something she knew that he didn't. That was impossible.

 **Sasaki_san:** he's a friend, so you find it hard to refuse him?

 _No, he is not a friend_! Kaiba hissed, seeing his own text float up on the screen. Six minutes had already passed. He was running out of time.

 **Sasaki_san:** well then, what's stopping you from reporting him?! There are people to help you in these situations, Mr. Kaiba. Don't be afraid to ask for help even though you are both male!

 _Un...fucking…helpful,_ Kaiba growled, sending her the message before tossing his phone aside angrily.

His phone buzzed again and Kaiba grit his teeth, snatching it up to see a message from Isono.

 _"Mr. Kaiba. I know it's late, but should I answer the door for…"_

He didn't even bother reading the rest of the text before storming out of his room and down the hall, seeing Mokuba's shadow already hovering by the front door.

Kaiba paused on the top step, watching his little brother pull the heavy doors open and tilt his head questioningly at Yami.

"Mokuba," Yami said warmly, mustering up the kindest smile he could for the younger Kaiba, and the child frowned at him.

"What're you doing here?" Mokuba asked coldly, resisting the urge to turn around and look over his shoulder, because he could have sworn he'd heard Seto's footsteps just moments before.

"Your brother, is he home?" Yami asked genially, and Mokuba blinked, wondering if he should lie.

Kaiba shut his eyes and prayed Mokuba would say 'no', so Yami would leave without any further questions, but it wasn't that easy.

"Why?" Mokuba shot back suspiciously, eyeing Yami up and down, noticing that he wasn't wearing his usual stacked belts and dark jacket. He was sleeveless, and in a pair of distressed denim jeans...how odd.

"I had a meeting with him today, but I forgot," Yami lied badly, hoping the child wouldn't ask any more questions and just let him in already.

He needed to coax Kumi's physical whereabouts from Kaiba, so he could convince her to become a model in person.

"Okay…" Mokuba said slowly, pulling the door back slightly, and Kaiba cursed internally. Yami…was being a sly bastard as usual.

Yami nodded gratefully and stepped inside, appreciating the lavish furnishings of the Kaiba mansion.

Kaiba leaned back into the shadow of the hallway, his heart thundering in his ears as he watched Mokuba eye Yami distrustfully and aske him another question.

"What was the meeting supposed to be about?" Mokuba asked ostentatiously, folding his arms across his chest, hearing Isono enter the room in the far back and begin surreptitiously dusting the mantel, clearly eavesdropping.

"A girl," Yami answered truthfully, and he heard the manservant let out a startled cough behind him. He ignored that pointedly and studied Mokuba's face for a reaction.

The child's expression remained impassive.

"And?" Mokuba prompted, wondering if it was a girl both Yami and Seto liked.

"And, she's pretty…" Yami said carefully, listening for more movement from the manservant behind him as Mokuba's frown deepened. "I like her very much…and your brother is keeping her from me."

"Yeah, I don't believe that," Mokuba sniffed, moving to sit down on one of the white leather sofas. "Seto doesn't like girls."  
Seto liked work, and dueling.

"Young master," Isono interrupted quickly, clearing his throat nervously and throwing Yami an apologetic glance. "I think it's way past your bedtime."

"Girls are stupid and gross," Mokuba continued loudly, fully aware that Seto was somewhere upstairs, listening. "If there was a girl here, don't you think I'd know?"

"No, I don't think you would know," Yami bantered lightly, feeling the manservant brush past him in a sudden whoosh to grab the child by the arm and drag him away from the couch.

"Lemme go!" Mokuba squirmed, stubbornly dragging his heels across the stone floors. "I'm not tired! …Seto!"

Yami tensed, instantly on guard, seeing the older Kaiba's shadow at the top of the stairs, and he began preparing his argument in his mind, but before he could open his mouth to speak, Kaiba's shadow disappeared, and the sound of two doors slamming echoed throughout the spacious house.

Stunned, Yami stood awkwardly in the middle of the sitting room, staring at an ornate porcelain vase filled with fresh white lilies, his ears ringing with the sudden silence.

His skin crawled strangely. He began to realize…this was Seto Kaiba…avoiding him in his own home!

 _Coward,_ Yami growled to himself, marching up the stairs and almost running nose-first into the manservant coming down towards him. They dodged each other awkwardly before Yami managed to reach the top, slightly breathless from his arduous climb.

Only one door had light coming from underneath the crack, and Yami deduced the older Kaiba's door was at the far end of the hallway, so he made his way there and knocked loudly, hearing Kaiba's muffled voice coming from behind it. "Go…the fuck away."

"Kaiba, honestly," Yami fumed, quickly losing his patience at this odd behavior. "You're going to hide from me in your own home?"

"I'm not hiding, you're intruding," came the haughty reply, and Yami tried the door knob, irritated to find that it was locked.

He rattled it furiously and shouldered the door heavily, his mind churning for a way to convince Kaiba to open the door.

Kaiba sat stiffly on the edge of his bed, staring at his door like it was a dangerous animal. Well, there _was_ a dangerous animal…on the other side of it.

"I already agreed to your ridiculous terms," Yami said nervously, recalling how Kaiba had asked him to lick his shoe. "I'll do it."

Could he do it without getting embarrassingly hard while thinking of Kumi-san? That was the real question.

"No," Kaiba replied hollowly, his stomach twisting strangely again as he spoke. "I didn't agree to the terms."

He didn't want to keep fueling Yami's fucking foot fetish.

"Fine, new terms!" Yami called loudly, hearing footsteps coming up the staircase behind him. "Name your price…or your conditions, and open this damn door, Kaiba!"

Kaiba curled his fingers into his palms, sweating nervously, hearing his door rattle furiously again.

He briefly wondered if he kissed Yami as a man, would Yami respond the same way?

"I'm leaving," Yami said irritably, leaning away from the door and folding his arms across his chest, deciding to insult his rival one last time before he left. "You really aren't the man I know from the dueling arena—"

The door swung open before he could finish his sentence, and Yami smirked, enjoying the small curl of satisfaction sitting comfortably in his chest. He still knew how to push Kaiba's buttons, and that was something he could always do successfully.

"Come in," Kaiba growled, tightening his hand around the door handle. "I've changed my terms."

"Good," Yami said, pushing his way into Kaiba's room and turning to face him with a determined look on his face. "Tell me now. I want to find that girl."

"You—" Kaiba paused, wondering if he should tell Yami he was being a bonafide creep, but instead he changed his mind and went with his first experimental comment.

"The longer we kiss, the longer I will spend looking for her."

Yami blinked, the floor falling beneath his feet so fast, his stomach clenched strangely.  
What? No!  
This was bad.  
And wrong.

"Excuse me?" Yami breathed, unsure if he could believe what he was hearing. Kaiba wanted…to kiss?!

Pleased to see that he had successfully shaken his rival, Kaiba walked over to his desk and leaned against it, pointing a slender index finger at his closed laptop, repeating himself.

"The longer we ki—"

"You don't have to say it again, I understand," Yami interrupted, wondering if he should feel angry or worried about Kaiba's true motivations, after all, his rival rarely did things without reason.

"Right, well, anytime you want to start," Kaiba smirked, feeling a surge of immense satisfaction at Yami's dumbfounded reaction.

He knew the concept was hitting Yami harder than it had first hit him, after all, he was always the one who was in control, first as Kumi, and now as himself.

In fact, Kaiba figured he ought to be celebrating with a bottle of wine!

He had his spiky-haired rival on a tightrope walk, making him sweat at the thought of a kiss, when they had already done so, more than twice.

"H-How long?" Yami asked hoarsely, hating how brightly Kaiba was smiling. Was this…funny to him?!

"How long what?" Kaiba repeated, knowing full well what Yami wanted to know, but he wanted Yami to suffer for it.

"How long…do we have to…" Yami was unable to finish his sentence, feeling unusually heartbroken. He had promised himself he would do anything, _anything_ , to find Kumi…but kissing Seto Kaiba wasn't something he had prepared himself for.

In that moment, Mokuba's bratty voice echoed in his mind. " _Seto doesn't like girls…"_

 _Ah, so that is what he meant_ , Yami glowered privately, choosing to glare at the tips of Kaiba's finely manicured fingertips.  
Kaiba was gay and wanted to prank him as payback.

"Fine," Yami relented, still trying to justify the kiss to himself in his mind. Maybe it was the will of the gods, the cruel gods who were laughing at him because he was chasing an angel on earth, an angel who probably didn't exist…!

Kaiba watched Yami visibly fight with himself, his eyes darting around the room, clearly trying to find a way out of it.

"You can refuse," Kaiba said smoothly, generously giving his rival a way out, and to his great amusement, Yami accepted immediately.

"I'll come back later," Yami replied venomously, inching towards the door, feeling himself sweat. "I'll think about it."

"Perfect," Kaiba answered coldly, wondering why he didn't feel more relieved at Yami's reaction. "Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out."

Yami turned and strode out of the room frantically with his heart pounding thickly in his ears.

A kiss! Kaiba wanted a kiss?! No, Kaiba wanted a long kiss.

How…?

Unable to form strings of coherent thought, Yami stepped out past the large double-wide doors and into the evening air, inhaling deeply, trying to ease his anxiety.

A long black limousine was parked in front of a large fountain lit up with warm yellow lights, and Yami gazed longingly at it. No. He couldn't ask for a ride from Seto Kaiba. That would increase the debt between them.

He would walk home, even though he had already spent 3,000 yen on a taxi cab fare here.

Sighing to himself, Yami set off down Kaiba's long concrete driveway, gazing at the tall black gate in the distance, lost in his own thoughts.

Kaiba leaned away from the window after seeing Yami press the button on the wall beside the gate and exit his property, his spiky-haired silhouette vanishing as it turned the corner.

Turning to face his bed, Kaiba glared at his pillows until his eyes watered.

Well, that had worked better than he had thought. Hopefully, Yami would never bother him again.

That was a good thing…so then, why did he feel so…empty and cold?

* * *

Yami made himself comfortable on his usual park bench and leaned back, staring up into the bright blue sky, trying to relax.

Today was a great day to take photographs…but none of his usual girls were available.

 _Everyone's left me_ , Yami grumbled unhappily to himself, crossing his legs tightly.

It was a horrible pattern. Once the girls found fame after being featured on the main page, he was cast aside with a thank-you note, or a half-date and a dinner, usually out of pity.

 _It's Very likely that Kumi would do the same, but…it might be worth it_ , Yami mused, shutting his eyes and letting the warm breeze lift his bangs off his face. He heard footsteps and soft voices echoing through the park and pried his eyes open tiredly to watch a couple arguing in loud whispers in the distance.

A tall, handsome man with dark hair had his arms folded, while his girlfriend shook her head at him, her light brown curls bouncing prettily on her shoulders, and Yami held his breath, unable to believe his eyes.

Was it…?

He watched the girl turn around in a huff and storm off, leaving the man standing open-mouthed behind her, and Yami stiffened excitedly, wondering how he could approach her without sounding creepy.

He had just witnessed a fight! Did this mean Kumi could actually talk?

She was making her way down the park path, walking fast, getting closer, and Yami ran his hands down his pant legs nervously, hating that his palms were sweaty. This woman…really had an effect on him.

Counting her steps, Yami waited until she walked right by before he called out to her.

"Kumi-san?"

She froze in mid-step and slowly turned to face him, her expression unreadable.

Understandable. She was still angry from the earlier argument.

"You." she said coldly, and Yami blinked nervously, taken aback by the sound of her voice. It was a beautiful, husky tone. So she could speak after all!

"Will you sit here with me?" Yami asked boldly, smiling warmly and patting the spot beside him, fully aware that the man she had been arguing with was only a few meters away, probably watching them.

She hesitated for a moment before taking a cautious step towards him, brushing the hair out of her eyes shyly before speaking. "Only because he's still standing there…" And she sat down smoothly, crossing one long leg over the other.

Yami smiled at her again and tried his best not to gape. He glanced around the park, trying to avert his gaze the best he could, and was pleasantly surprised to discover that the man she had been arguing with had disappeared.

"Your…boyfriend?" Yami ventured, bracing himself for an answer he didn't want to hear, and to his relief, she shook her head tightly.

Deciding not to ruin the moment by prying further, Yami resolved to remain quiet, and they sat in comfortable silence for a few moments before he spoke up again.

"Kumi-san—"

"No," she said coldly, folding her arms across her chest protectively and rising to her feet. "I know what you're going to say, and my answer is no."

"You haven't even heard my offer yet," Yami protested, his stomach sinking to the ground as he watched her begin to walk away, and he mentally slapped himself, wishing he could come up with another excuse for her to stay.

She was already walking away, so Yami roused himself quickly and ran after her, his chest curling with a strange feeling when he realized she was so incredibly tall, he was nose-to-nose with her elbow.

"Stop…following me," she hissed, whirling around to face him, and Yami blinked at her, scrambling for an excuse, a compliment, anything.

"I like you," Yami said in a rush, thinking this was the worst confession he had made to-date. At least with other girls, he'd had flowers prepared, but Kumi was so hard to catch…!

"So?" she said blandly, turning to leave, and Yami clenched and unclenched his fists nervously.

"So, I'd like to take you out on a date!" Yami said, raising his voice slightly as she continued to walk away, taking long strides, getting farther and farther away by the second. "Please?"

She stopped for a moment and Yami held his breath, hoping desperately that she would turn around.

To his immense surprise, she did, very slowly, and began walking back towards him, her long hair bouncing prettily on her shoulders.

Yami smiled, relief washing over him like a calm wave, but frowned when her hair started shrinking back into her head and turned into a neatly styled cut most commonly seen on Seto Kaiba.

Rooted to the spot in shock and horror, Yami watched as her dress morphed into Kaiba's flowing trench coat, and the thigh-high boots that hugged her legs melted into dark trousers complete with the thick, silver KC buckle in the middle.

Suddenly, Seto Kaiba was towering above him, with the classic sneer on his face, his teeth glinting threateningly in the bright sun as he spoke. "One kiss, equates to one date. Agreed?"

Now terrified, Yami's mouth dropped open and he shook his head frantically as large hands came towards his face and cupped his cheeks tightly, pulling him upwards into a kiss, and Yami shrank away, his fingers slipping on Kaiba's wrists, which were encased in his cold metal cuffs.

Yami jerked awake, and he gripped the edge of his covers, his back drenched in sweat with his heart racing a thousand beats per minute.

Fuck…that dream. Fuck that dream to hell.

He glanced around nervously, seeing a strip of orange sunlight coming through the top of his curtains, which he remembered having drawn closed before taking this nap…which had ended in a horrible nightmare.

Palming his face with shaking hands, Yami forced himself to breathe normally.

That was horrible. A dream that had the potential to become amazing, had been ruined…by Seto Kaiba.

His phone buzzed somewhere in the room, and Yami threw the covers off himself before climbing out of bed, feeling sluggish. He found it, still vibrating angrily on his desk buried under several file folders, and declined the call quickly after seeing the name _"Ass-rider Editor"_ flashing across the screen.

That woman was probably calling to ask for a new girl to feature on the centerfold, because the deadline to submit was next week…and he had no girl to feature.

 _Damn it_ , Yami growled darkly, tapping on his messages and staring at the top two people he had last messaged.

Kumi's name was underneath Seto Kaiba's, and Yami tapped on the message thread, his fingers shaking as he composed a quick text.

 _"Alright, I accept, only because I need to find her more than I hate the thought of ki*x*ing you."_

Clicking his phone off, Yami sat down heavily in his desk chair and stared blankly at the wall, his mind churning with unease.

Kaiba was just messing with him…right?  
Maybe this was all part of his ruse, to make him fret about the concept of the kiss and then demand something else from him entirely?

Kaiba felt his phone buzz in his pocket and he ignored it, intending to focus on his date sitting across the table from him.

"…My brother works for you at the front desk," she said suddenly, smiling at him brightly, and Kaiba nodded stiffly, wondering if he should ask which building.

"I don't know which building," she said, as if reading his mind, and she tucked a strand of brown hair behind her ear delicately, gazing down at the dessert on her plate, her cheeks slightly red, and they continued to eat in silence.

The waiter passed by and stiffly uncorked the bottle of wine that had been sitting between them and refilled their glasses quickly before corking the bottle and leaving.

The silence at the table grew, and Kaiba racked his brain for her name.

 _Shit, I forgot her name,_ Kaiba thought guiltily, stabbing his fork through his tiramisu and watching the powdered cocoa sprinkle messily down the side of the cake.

His phone buzzed in his pocket again and Kaiba grit his teeth, annoyed. He had silenced everyone and everything on his phone. Who the fuck was it and what did they want?!

"What hobbies do you participate in during your free time, Mr. Kaiba?" she asked awkwardly, and Kaiba did his best to keep his expression neutral while he scrambled for an answer.

First of all, what free time?  
Second of all…nothing.  
No, wait, he did enjoy…dressing up and masquerading as a woman.  
That was kind of a hobby, right?  
Even though he had only done it twice in his entire life, and both times had ended up being a horribly humiliating experience with Yami trailing at his heels with large, disgusting puppy-eyes….

"Mr. Kaiba?"

Kaiba snapped his head up and narrowed his eyes at her, sizing her up, wondering how truthful he could be.

She blinked at him worriedly, her green eyes sparkling under the low lights, and Kaiba waited for his chest to tighten, for his stomach to curl, but he felt nothing.

"I like…fashion," Kaiba said lamely, seeing her face split into a warm smile in response, and her teeth glistened prettily too.

"Oh me too!" she said enthusiastically, nodding happily. "Do you have a favorite designer? Subscribe to any magazines? Got a crush on a model?"

 _None of those things_ , Kaiba responded darkly in his own mind, and he forced himself to smile at her in return, a familiar feeling of dread curling in his chest.

Great. He had officially talked himself into a hole. He couldn't answer any of her questions without offending her, and he didn't have the energy to come up with a lie for an answer to each question.

"Do _you_ have a favorite designer?" Kaiba shot back defensively, wondering why he always sounded so mean whenever he opened his mouth, and his phone buzzed continuously in his pocket for the millionth time.  
Was he getting a call?

"Yes!" she cried, pressing her nicely manicured fingertips together in deep thought. "I love the current face of Marimo…oh my gosh, everything about that brand has really captured my own personal taste!"

 _The…face of what?_ Kaiba thought faintly, creeping his hand down his leg and inching his phone out of his pocket while she continued to talk animatedly.

"…. Every month they feature a new girl, each one cuter than the last, and I have yet to see them branch out into men's clothing, but when they do…"

 _Don't care_ , Kaiba thought absently, his fingers finding the button on the side of his phone, and he held it down, counting and waiting for it to buzz, indicating that it had been shut off completely, but to his annoyance, it buzzed again twice before shutting off.

Was it an emergency? If so, why wasn't the pin on his lapel blinking?

Then it wasn't an emergency.

"…and I love anything avant-guarde, but my younger sister recently bought me a subscription to Miss Eighteen…" She was still talking, and Kaiba felt his eyelid twitch, thinking he had either hit the chatterbox jackpot, or she was really passionate about fashion.

"I was a bit embarrassed to be caught reading that magazine because I think I'm a bit too old for it," she finished, and Kaiba forced himself to relax. It was fine if she talked more, because that meant he could talk less.

"You're not old," Kaiba said automatically, feeling as if he was reciting from a script. Now this was a familiar territory. She would blush and say that he was being kind, but then he would press on and flatter her, saying she could wear whatever she wanted and look young forever. Done. Date over.

"Oh stop, Mr. Kaiba…" she giggled, ducking her head down shyly, waving her hand in front of her nose. The waiter drifted by their table, standing rigidly at the tableside.

"Would you like the check now?" asked a familiar voice, and Kaiba glanced to the side, horrified to see Yami, standing too close for comfort beside him, smirking, and he froze, his blood boiling with a mixture of rage and humiliation.

"Oh!" his date cried, pressing a hand to her chest, her eyes roaming up and down Yami's slender form, her cheeks reddening even further with excitement, "Mr. Mutou!"

"Maybe," Yami said carelessly, turning to Kaiba, pleased to see that he was also red in the face. "So, the check? Also, it's no wonder you weren't answering your phone—"

 _"You…"_ Kaiba hissed, rising to his feet and grabbing Yami by the arm, steering him away from the table before throwing a look over his shoulder, trying not to give his date a venomous glare, "One fucking moment."

"Oh...Okay," she said simply, giving him a friendly wave, and Kaiba dragged Yami out of the restaurant, his heart thundering in his ears, deaf to Yami's protests.

"Let…go!" Yami wrenched his arm out of Kaiba's iron-like grip and backed away slowly, thankful that they were outside, but now sorely regretting his earlier confidence.

"Can you not fucking see?!" Kaiba seethed, advancing on Yami and watching him continue to edge away, keeping close to the wall, and he was dimly aware of the valet-boy staring at them from his stand, so he reached out and grabbed Yami by the arm again, pulling him around the corner of the building and feeling him twist away angrily.

"Don't touch me," Yami spat, gripping his own arm tightly, feeling his skin burn terribly where Kaiba had grabbed him.

"I am on a date," Kaiba breathed, willing himself to calm down, wondering why Yami was so insistent on inserting himself into his life at the worst times. "Get lost…and how the fuck did you find me here?!"

Yami gazed listlessly at him, his eyelids half-lowered in a look of contempt. "All I had to do was ask Spotted, Kaiba. You can't hide from me in this city."

Kaiba's head spun with anxiety and nausea, and he threw a nervous glance over his shoulder, thinking he had heard footsteps, but after a brief moment of silence, all he heard was Yami sighing irritably at him.

"Who is she? And why do you date for appearances if you're gay?" Yami continued ruthlessly, and Kaiba dove at Yami in a fit of rage, pressing his hand over his mouth, hissing. "Shut…up! Do you want to be heard?!"

Yami shoved Kaiba's hand away from his face gleefully, realizing he had leverage.

"I might shout it from the rooftops," Yami jeered, dodging another one of Kaiba's outstretched arms and backing away further, his heart pounding excitedly in his chest.  
This was good! He had finally found something he could use to twist Kaiba's arm behind his back!

"Shut the fuck up. I'm not gay," Kaiba growled, his chest curling strangely as he wondered if this was a lie.

"The more you insist you're not…you are!" Yami declared triumphantly, raising his phone up threateningly and bluffing with all his might. "I've recorded our exchange. You will find Kumi for me, or I will tell the world."

Kaiba froze, his heart skipping beats in his chest while a strange humming filled his ears. Wh-What?!

"Go on, say you agree to these terms," Yami snickered, sticking his phone back into his pocket and folding his arms tightly across his chest. "You have three days to find her, or I will release this information to every public media outlet I know."

Kaiba let his breath out slowly, feeling as if the world was sinking and swirling down by his feet, draining his energy steadily.  
Yami was playing dirty.  
This was fucking blackmail.

"You can't be serious," Kaiba breathed, hearing his own voice waver, and he watched Yami throw his head back and laugh heartily, causing his stomach to clench strangely.

"Oh, I am being serious, Seto Kaiba," Yami grinned evilly, and Kaiba bit his tongue painfully, resisting the urge to shout at his spiky-haired rival. "Three days. A call or a text would suffice. No kissing."

 _Right_ , _no kissing,_ Kaiba fumed privately. He watched Yami smirk at him again before giving him a playful wave over his shoulder and walk off without turning around once to glance behind him.

Now thoroughly pissed, Kaiba clenched his fists and whirled around, heading back into the restaurant to bid his date good night.  
Fine. This was fucking fine.

If Kumi was who Yami wanted, then that was who he would get.  
Kumi would come back to break his heart, and leave him with little holes in his body from her stilettoed heels after wiping her feet on him like the doormat he was.

Kaiba approached the table he had been sitting at and was slightly irritated to find it empty, with the leather check booklet sitting upright in the spot where she had been, just moments before.  
Well, great.  
She had ditched him with the check without so much as a look backwards.  
He was having a stellar evening.

Deciding he would later take this out viciously on Yami, Kaiba snatched the booklet up and scanned the bill pinned along the inside, surprised to discover that it was just a blank note, with thin, beautiful handwriting panning down the white paper, written in a very traditional letter format.

 _"Mr. Kaiba,_

 _I'm embarrassed to say that I had a sneaking feeling throughout our whole date, and don't worry, this dinner is on me, and I will keep your secret._

 _I think you are just very misunderstood in the public eye, and everyone deserves to be happy…even you!_

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _Saiko"_

Paling, Kaiba slipped the note out of the fold and shoved it into his pocket without a second thought, straightening up and glancing around the restaurant, wondering if anyone had been watching him.

The diners around him were all eating and chatting quietly. No eyes were on him. Daring to feel relieved, Kaiba strode out of the restaurant, his eyes burning with a strange heat as the handwriting from the girl zipped through the front of his mind.

 _"…I had a sneaking feeling…"_

 _"I will keep your secret…."_

 _"You're just very misunderstood…"_

Great. Just fucking great.

Kaiba reached his car and pried the door open hastily, throwing himself inside and gripping the wheel tightly, letting his breath out slowly, forcing himself to calm down.

So he hadn't been hallucinating, and he _had_ heard footsteps behind him while Yami was blackmailing the shit out of him.

Growling under his breath, Kaiba started the engine with a roar and peeled out of the parking lot, his mind spinning with a thousand ways to make Yami hurt.

* * *

Yami stepped out of the shower and wrapped the towel around his waist, hearing his phone buzzing just outside the door, and he dashed out of the bathroom, almost slipping in his haste as he dove at his phone, which was lying on his bed.

He scooped it up triumphantly, pleased to see texts from 'Angel' hovering in the middle of his screen, and he read the messages hungrily, seeing them pop up one after another.

 **Angel:** Mr. foto guy! So I've given it some thought… a lot of thought actually and I thinkkkkkk….…

 **Angel:** I think I hate you (grin)

 **Angel:** ehehehe just kidding (heart)

 **Angel:** well I already told you im not comfortable in front of the cam

 **Angel:** but if you go on a date with me and make me feel better

 **Angel:** I miiiiight consider it. MIGHT. Might. Might. Might.

Happiness swirly mightily inside of Yami's chest and he paused, wondering if Kaiba had paid her to say this. Actually…did it matter?

Yes, it did.

Tapping away from Kumi's messages, Yami sent Kaiba a quick text and pulled the towel off his waist, toweling his hair dry slowly, wondering if he would even get a response.

Kaiba was sitting at his desk after having sent the first few messages as Kumi when he felt his own phone buzzing in his pocket.

Cursing, he slid it out, furious to see texts from Yami questioning the validity of Kumi's responses.

 **Y-Creep:** I hope you're not paying her to message me this

 **Y-Creep:** _[screenshot attached]_

 **Y-Creep:** cuz even I know that's wrong

Kaiba texted back angrily, making sure to keep his spelling in check, because all he really wanted to do was send middle finger emojis.

 **Seto Kaiba:** STFU you two-faced blackmailing asshole

 **Seto Kaiba** : looks like shes giving you the time of day, even though I don't know a single woman on this planet who WOULD

 **Seto Kaiba:** because you clearly don't deserve

Yami stopped reading and tapped on Kumi's messages again, replying carefully, wondering if he ought to be pleased with himself.

Kaiba heard his other phone begin buzzing loudly across his desk, and he glared at it sourly, seeing Yami's number pop up across it repeatedly.

He picked it up and read the texts slowly, hating Yami with all his might.

 **[unknown number]:** My angel! I mean…Kumi-san!

 _Brb vomiting_ , Kaiba growled to himself, holding his breath and watching more texts from Yami pop up on his phone.

 **[unknown number]:** A date sounds great! Where would you like to go?

 **[unknown number]:** (heart) (heart) (heart) (heart) (heart) (heart)

 _Stop fucking...spamming hearts!_ Kaiba hissed, stabbing the screen with his fingers so hard, he saw green discolorations. Time to fuck Yami up in the worst way, and luckily, he knew exactly what to say, because he knew him so well.

 **Angel:** I love eating at expensive places!

Yami blinked and his heart stopped in his chest. Oh…crap.

 **Angel:** if you take me anywhere with a menu that has a plate that costs less than 8,000 yen then

 **Angel:** you  
 **Angel:** are  
 **Angel:** beneath me

 _Oh no…._ Yami's breathing grew shallow and his screen blurred heavily in his vision. Kumi-san seemed angelic on the outside, but…in these messages, it seemed she milked men for their money.

Time to set his pride aside and….

 **[unknown number]:** ahaha…kumi-san…I'm very embarrassed to say that I can't afford that

 _Yeah, I know you fucking can't,_ Kaiba thought viciously, letting a trickle of satisfaction run through him as he watched Yami continue to text him in little spurts, undoubtedly panicking.

 **[unknown number]:** well. If you don't mind

 **[unknown number]:** I can show you a good time at the movies?

 _No,_ Kaiba thought plainly, watching another text bubble up after a few moments.

 **[unknown number]:** or even a walk in the park?

 _Double no,_ Kaiba thought, waiting for another text to pop up.

 **[unknown number]:** I have a lot of offer if you'd give me a chance.

 _No, you do not_ , Kaiba thought disdainfully, reading the next message quickly.

 **[unknown number]:** money and fame can be yours if you'd get comfortable enough for me behind the camera!

 _I bet you say that to all the girls,_ Kaiba thought gleefully, holding his retort back and waiting for a golden moment to slap Yami to the ground.

 **[unknown number]:** it's nothing sexual, just be yourself!

Yami held his breath and waited, finally seeing a response from Kumi.

 **Angel:** BIGGEST. LIE. OF THE CENTURY.

 **Angel:** NOTHING SEXUAL?! Really? Reeeeeally.

 **Angel:** AHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHahahaha oh my god I can't stop laughing

 **Angel:** HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAHAHAHHASHAHAHAAHahahahAHahaha

Frowning, Yami wondered if she was patronizing him.

 **[unknown number]:** i…im a little hurt, Kumi-san. I thought you liked me.

 _Yeah, I like making you look like a fool_ , Kaiba thought viciously, deciding what he should say to that comment that wouldn't immediately give him away.

 **Angel:** I like making you… want something you can never have

 **Angel:** which. is. me (heart)

 **Angel:** you can take me on as many dates as you want

 **Angel:** but you'll never win my heart, Mr. foto man!

And to Kaiba's utter horror, Yami's response was:

 **[unknown number]:** I ACCEPT YOUR CHALLENGE KUMI-SAN! (cloud)(rainbow)

 **[unknown number]:** it will be rewarding to spend time with you regardless!

 **[unknown number]:** see you Blue Café, 5PM, tomorrow?

No…no…! This had backfired horribly.

Kaiba grit his teeth and wondered why Yami had picked such an odd time...and had given him only less than a day to mentally prepare. The sun was still up at 5! This meant that he had to look even more flawless, because Yami could apparently see right through all of his efforts.

 **Angel:** e.

 _Maybe?_ Yami thought worriedly, his thumbs hovering over the keyboard. He shivered and realized he had been standing in the middle of his room, texting her while still naked.

 **Angel:** yeah. Maybe I'll see you there. I'll think about it.

 **Angel:** BYE! (star)

Kaiba tossed the phone aside and sighed, pressing his palms into his eyes and feeling himself shake all over.

Fuck…this.

Yami smiled and clicked his phone off, moving towards his closet to pull out some clothes to wear. He felt as if he was walking on air, light as a feather, filled to the brim with happiness.

Something good had come out of blackmailing Kaiba after all! It was no wonder Kaiba used that tactic so often.

It was much easier than asking nicely.

* * *

 **Author's note:**

HI THANK YOU FOR READING AND PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW YAY :D :D

 **Mood:** mildly happy

 **Chapter dedicated to:** SetoKaibaes for inspiring that dream scene

 **Chapter edited by:** Ylje, my guardian, my temple...my...orc?

 **Special note:** thank you _heartofamethyst_ for subscribing to my PATRRONN

:::::::Hugs:::::: - UGLI


	5. because I can't feel my hands or feet

Kaiba sat at his desk with a pair of tweezers in one hand and glue in the other, painstakingly adding tiny gleaming crystals to the back of a phone case.

Neat piles of sparkling blue and white gemstones sat in a tiny stack, inches away from his knuckles.

Kaiba methodically picked one up to dab glue onto the flat backing before carefully placing it onto the phone case.

This was agonizing.

But this was another prop he could use to further fool Yami into thinking he was a woman.

Women carried phones that looked like this.  
And they usually decorated it themselves, or with friends…right?

At least that was what his secretary had told him in passing after he had commented on her overly decorated phone case.

Kaiba picked up another tiny crystal with the tweezers and cursed Yami in his mind every single time he dabbed glue onto the backing.

Why was he putting so much effort into this? Was it purely out of spite? Was it because Yami was so head-over-heels for his female persona that revealing himself as a man would be so much sweeter?

Raising his head to glance at the clock, Kaiba quickly ducked his head back down and hastened his pace.

The glue needed two hours to dry.

And he needed at least three hours to get ready before meeting Yami at the café today, so he needed to finish decorating this case soon.

* * *

Yami stepped into the café and glanced around nervously, searching for a woman who looked familiar. To his intense relief, it seemed that he had arrived first…only because he was here an hour early.

The waitress caught his eye and walked straight towards him, bowing. "Welcome in! Follow me and I will seat you."

"Thank you," Yami answered politely, and he followed her to an empty booth near the back of the café. He watched her slide a menu on the table and hurry away to seat a couple that had appeared in the doorway.

Yami hastily moved to sit himself on the other side of the booth, making sure he had a clear view of the door and windows.

He needed to keep his eyes on Kumi as much as possible throughout this entire date.

Crossing his legs happily, Yami leaned into the booth and pulled out his phone, checking his social feeds while he waited.

* * *

Kaiba inspected his reflection in the mirror one last time before glancing at the time and realizing he was going to be late.

Whatever. Yami could wait.

His priority right now was getting out of his own house without being seen by Mokuba, Isono, or any stray maid or servant pruning bushes at the front of the house.

Cursing, Kaiba realized he hadn't thought this through.

He slipped off his heels and held them in his hands, walking barefoot to the door of his room, peeking out cautiously.

The hallway was empty.

He waited two heartbeats, listening for footsteps, before inching out of his room and dashing down the grand staircase, past the main sitting area, and through another hallway leading towards his garage.

Kaiba pried the door open and ducked behind it, just in time too, because he heard Mokuba's chirpy voice faintly echoing from the front entrance, asking Isono about dinner.

Breathing a sigh of relief and cursing Yami in his mind once more, Kaiba grabbed a set of keys of the wall hook and pressed the button, seeing the white headlights of his sports car flash at him in response.

Halfway to his car, Kaiba froze, realizing with horror that in his frantic haste to exit the house unseen, he had forgotten his damn purse on his desk, in plain sight.

Motherf—

Kaiba flung himself angrily into his car and revved the engine, letting the deafening roar echo through the spacious garage.

Fuck it.  
Kumi wasn't going to bring her purse today, because Yami was going to pay.

He backed out of the space so fast, the roof of his car narrowly missed scraping against the rising door of the garage, and he sped off down his driveway, hating everything.

* * *

Yami clicked his phone on and off nervously, wondering if Kumi was standing him up.

She was 45 minutes late.

The waitress had been passing his table every ten minutes after he had been sitting alone with nothing in front of him for half an hour, asking if everything was alright, so Yami ordered a pot of tea for the sake of appearances.

That pot of tea had arrived and gone cold while he had been waiting, so he finally decided to text her.

But first, just in case, he shot Mai a nervous text and wondered why he wasn't more comfortable bringing this situation up with Anzu instead.

A small voice in the back of his head told him it was because Anzu always visibly resented the girls he chose to photograph, but had always put up a gentle smile and listened like a good friend.

That thought made his teeth ache.

His phone buzzed in his hand and he glanced down at it to read Mai's careless reply:

 _"Hate to say I told you so, but I told you so."_

Sighing, Yami decided that he would wait another hour, and if she didn't show up by then, he would accept that he had been stood up.

* * *

Kaiba gripped the wheel tightly and parked the car easily in a small space behind a deserted building.

Shutting the engine off quickly, he reached into the footwell of the passenger seat for his heels and attempted to slip them back on his feet, cursing when he realized his legs were too long and there wasn't enough space for him to reach down to strap the shoes on properly.

Kaiba climbed out of the car, now regretting that the skirt he wore was so fucking short. One stray movement of his leg sent the skirt riding dangerously up his hip.

Cursing again, this time audibly, Kaiba winced when his barefoot touched the concrete and he stayed on his toes, using the hood of the car to balance himself as he slipped on his left shoe.

He bent down gingerly to fasten the black strap around his ankle and felt a dangerous breeze billow up his skirt, and he grit his teeth, knowing if he bent down any further, he'd be flashing the street.

Finally managing to fix the strap on his one shoe, Kaiba reached for the other shoe sitting in his driver's seat and heard a soft chuckle behind him.

He whirled around, panicking, thinking it was Yami, but to his surprise, it was a man with a pair of expensive sunglasses perched in his shiny black hair and a white shopping bag dangled on his elbow.

Kaiba stiffened and straightened up completely, tightening his grip around the stray heel, wondering if he ought to throw it at the stranger who was watching him with an amused smile from a few feet away.

The man opened his mouth and called out to him, "A pretty lady like yourself shouldn't trying on shoes back alleys…alone!"

 _Fuck off_ , Kaiba thought angrily, his patience thinning quickly. At this rate, he might lose a nail punching this guy before he could even get to Yami at the café.

"I was just passing by," the man said, holding his hands up defensively, smiling brightly. "I want to help. Need a hand?"

 _No_ , Kaiba thought sourly, and he turned away, reaching for his other shoe in the passenger seat. He froze when he realized that the man behind him was probably hoping for a glimpse up his skirt after having walked by and seen him bent forward the first time…. Fuck.

"Okay, if you insist," the man said, and Kaiba straightened up again, slowly turning to give the man a forced smile, gesturing for him to come closer.

"Ah okay, changed your mind," the stranger said happily, striding forward quickly, and Kaiba flipped his shoe over in his hand, briefly contemplating stabbing the man in the throat with the heel when he came close enough, but he held back, letting the man stand beside him… and offer his elbow.

 _Thanks, bean pole,_ Kaiba thought viciously, using the man's arm as a handrail while he slipped his heel onto his right foot and buckled it with practiced ease.

"So…your boyfriend's car?" the man asked, practically drooling. His gaze was nailed to the red interior. "Must be a rich man…your boyfriend."

 _He's me_ , Kaiba growled internally, and he gave the man a catty grin, letting his distaste show on his face.

"I see," the man replied quietly, turning away quickly. Kaiba purposely held onto his arm for longer than needed, noticing instantly that the man's ears had reddened.

 _I suppose I have that effect,_ Kaiba thought arrogantly, hooking his keys around his knuckles and gripping his bejeweled phone in the other, closing the car door with his elbow.

He didn't think he was the most attractive woman in a skirt, but apparently it was enough to make weak men like Yami, and this guy, fall to their knees, so it was…something.

The man watched him press the keys twice, causing the headlights to flash and the lock to click.

"Very pretty…nails," the man complimented him weakly, and Kaiba let go of the man's arm to give him a condescending look.

 _We're done here, thanks Arm Rest,_ Kaiba said mentally, and he started making his way toward the street, feeling the man stick closely behind him, raining questions down upon him nonstop.

"Wait! Where are you going?" the man cried, hastening to catch up as Kaiba took longer strides. "A date? Shopping? I can come with you! Hair appointment?"

 _Oh my fuckin god_ , Kaiba thought wearily, deciding to pause in his step and reevaluate his new suitor. _I've earned myself another mindless slave._

Did this happen often to other women? Kaiba bit his tongue lightly as he realized he didn't know.

He kept walking, knowing that the man would follow him.

"Okay, ignore me," the man said breathlessly, sounding strangely excited. "I like a chase. You are the definition of a tall beauty, you know that?"

Kaiba grit his teeth and stopped at a crossing with a red light, feeling the light stares from people around them. The gaze from the man at his side did not waver one bit.

"No boyfriend…and no purse," the man commented, and Kaiba felt something snap inside. "You must be going on a date! That's why you're ignoring me. Is he...handsome? More so than me?"

 _"That man is being a pervert."_

Kaiba heard a soft whisper from a woman behind him, and he heard her friend reply audibly.

 _"He is. She looks like a model. Do you recognize her?"_

 _"No, I didn't see her face…she walked by too quickly."_

Kaiba tucked his tongue between his teeth and bit down on it, willing the crossing light to turn green. The crowd of people on the corner was gathering, and the man at his side was relentless.

"Hold onto my arm, Princess," the man said loftily, holding out his elbow and ignoring the dirty stares from strangers around them. "I'll take you across the street safely."

 _I'll push you into oncoming traffic,_ Kaiba thought deliriously, very close to losing it and shouting at the man.

Finally, the light turned green, and he strode forward quickly, his temper rising to an all-time high as he wondered how Yami would react to him dragging a man in behind him to their date.

 _I can use him,_ Kaiba mused, hearing the man call out to him again, sounding determined as ever.

"Princess! Is your boyfriend handsome? You have to tell me!"

Kaiba reached the other side of the crosswalk and slipped out his phone, sticking close to a nearby building. He hastily typed out a message before shoving it into the man's face.

"Giving me your number—" The man cried happily, pausing to squint at the screen. "' _come with me to find out?_ '"

Kaiba swallowed tensely, realizing for the first time that this man was quite tall. Even when he was wearing heels, this stranger was nose-to-nose with him!

"I will come with you!" the man said eagerly, gallantly offering his elbow again. "Call me your Prince…actually, my name is..."

 _Don't care, Loser,_ Kaiba thought evilly, slinking his arm through the man's elbow and feeling him tense.

He gave the man a forceful tug, leading him towards the café down the street, and let the man blabber on and on beside him.

As they passed several shops, Kaiba spotted his own reflection in the store windows and almost tripped mid-step.

"…Do you like dogs, Princess? I have a dog, want to see a photo of her?"

They looked like a couple out of a magazine.

"Or are you more of a cat type of girl? I can kinda see that…"

A tall, slender woman with sleek brown hair was on the arm of a handsome, dark-haired man with a sparkling smile.

"Hey, are you going to keep ignoring me? Even though I'm right here?"

 _Yes_ , Kaiba thought, turning his head away quickly and spying the café sign a few paces away. Fucking finally.

Getting to this café had been one arduous journey.

What's more, Kaiba could barely make out Yami's silhouette sitting inside the restaurant.

Great.  
Did that mean Yami could see him too?

Yami could see, and he was rooted into his seat with a mixture of disappointment and despair.

Kumi had purposely arrived a full hour late, dressed in a wonderfully tight skirt and formal blazer paired with strappy black heels, and what's more, had a man on her arm. A very pretty and handsome man, somehow as tall as she was, even though she was wearing heels.

 _She's showing me proof that I'm out of her league_ , Yami thought miserably, thinking he would make a graceful exit before she could rub her handsome man in his face.

Yami watched with increasing horror as the man held the café door open for her, and he instantly recognized the man. His stomach curled with resentment.

Kaiba made a beeline for Yami, slightly relieved to be free of the man hanging by his side, and he saw Yami rise to his feet, looking angry.

"Harada," Yami ignored Kumi and decided he would address the recruiter first. Of course this man would have managed to dig his claws into his hidden gem.

This man had been snatching up his models left and right in the past few months every time he turned his back, and Yami couldn't shake the feeling that he was being followed, but he couldn't prove it without starting a fight with Harada.

Kaiba blinked and willed his face to remain impassive. Yami knew this guy?! Of course.  
All the creeps in the world knew each other.

They also probably shared secret pornos with one another in their spare time.

"Ah, Yami… _Yugi_ ," Harada snickered, his demeanor changing instantly.

Kaiba decided to sit down in the booth, wishing he had popcorn for the show that was about to start.

Yami barely blinked when Kumi slid into the seat across from him, and he held his ground, understanding that she had been followed here. Maybe she had been trying to shake him off for a whole hour before coming here….

"I'll file a stalking report," Yami said, not bothering to keep his voice down, and several eyes in the café turned to them. Kaiba felt his chest burn as he swallowed his laughter.

Was Yami threatening this guy now?! With stalking?! Hilarious!  
They both needed to be reported for stalking.

"It's not stalking if all your girls decide to leave you when they realize my agency pays more," Harada shot back, and Kaiba froze, understanding that he had indeed been preyed on…by a lowly recruiter no less.

"No. I'm accusing you of stalking _me_ ," Yami replied firmly, with no shame. "If I see you approach another one of my clients…" and he took a threatening step forward, "…let's speak outside. We're disturbing customers."

Kaiba blinked rapidly, staring at the teapot and empty teacup on the other side of the table, his vision blurring.

Did Yami just refer to him as a… _client_?

So, Yami wasn't actually _in love_ with him?

Yami wanted a model…a fucking swimsuit model, Kaiba recalled, and he cringed internally, willing himself to remain composed as he continued listening to Harada retaliate.

"We can speak here, let's sit." The man gestured towards Kumi, and Yami tensed, curling his fingers into a fist.

Hell no.

"Leave," Yami said coldly, standing his ground, no longer putting up a front and letting his anger show through completely. "If I see you hovering around another one of my girls, I will report you."

There was a pause before Harada smiled thinly.

"Sure thing," he said, and he turned away, walking to the exit while giving Yami a careless wave over his shoulder, calling loudly through the entire restaurant, "You're the pervert with a camera anyway. See you around!"

There was a long awkward silence blanketing the entire café before people turned their attention back to their food and began whispering amongst themselves.

 _"That was gross…"_

 _"Yeah…I heard Yami has really has bad luck with models…."_

 _"I guess it's true…wow look at her…."_

 _"Unreal, she looks mixed…."_

 _"Actually, my sister subscribes to Miss Eighteen. She loves…"_

 _The magazine is called what?_ Kaiba wondered, his horror rising steadily along with his embarrassment.

His feet were aching, and the booth was a welcome resting space, but now that everyone in the café was aware of their presence, everything seemed a lot less welcoming.

"Thank you for coming," Yami said seriously, moving to sit across from Kumi, and Kaiba was instantly on guard.

His rival had lost every ounce of his charm and a dark look had replaced his usual, playful smirk.

This was an expression he was very familiar with.

Yami was extremely angry, and looked as if he would probably remain this way for the rest of the day.

"Well it's no secret that you turn heads," Yami continued, dropping all pretenses and getting straight to the point. "Please model for me."

Kaiba leaned back into the plush seating and tapped his nails against the table, feeling as if all the fun had been drained out of the day.

Bringing that man along had been a bad idea.

He had originally thought that watching Yami fight another man for his affection would've been funny, but it had the opposite effect.

Yami was now taking everything seriously, and it was unnerving.

"I have the contract with me if you want to look it over, sentence by sentence," Yami said testily, now realizing that Kumi's silence was irritating because he couldn't tell if she was listening or not.

She didn't even nod her head, so he pressed on.

"If you want a legal representative to look over the document before you sign it, I have a list of numbers…."

 _Wow_ , Kaiba thought dryly, feeling a slight headache coming on.

This was legitimate. Yami wasn't fucking around.

Also, the waitress had passed them twice, and Yami had ignored her obvious glances at the empty teapot.

 _What if I'm thirsty_? Kaiba thought irritably, gazing at the empty teacup beside Yami's arm.

"Look, if you're not interested, just tell me," Yami said with finality, deciding he would indeed give up if Kumi wasn't going to budge. "You are free to take Harada's offer, if money is what you're after, but our photo spread allows room on the page for a personal biography."

 _Am I supposed to care about that?_ Kaiba wondered faintly, now thinking he could go for some tea.

"We can showcase your personality more than your looks." Yami was _still_ talking and Kaiba resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "We can be expressive, with different styles…"

Kaiba stopped listening and pulled out his phone, acting visibly offended.

"Wh—You don't care?" Yami asked incredulously, his patience finally running out. She was on her phone now, clearly ignoring him.

Her long brown hair had been straightened today, and it hung like a protective curtain over both sides of her pretty face.

No. No matter how pretty she was, behavior like this was off-putting, and he could take a hint.

"Right, it was nice meeting you," Yami said stiffly, moving to stand, and her hand shot out across the table, grabbing him by the wrist.

 _Wait,_ Kaiba thought nervously, showing Yami his phone screen, and watching Yami blink once slowly, before glancing down to read it.

 _"I'm offended. You only want me to model for you? I thought you liked me for me."_

Yami wavered in his seat and his ears began to ring strangely. Was this girl...messing with him?

"Very funny," Yami growled, noticing that her phone case had been lavishly decorated with blue and white crystals, and he sighed, thinking that he really _did_ have a type.

He was forever doomed to be attracted to girly-girls who loved sparkly, material things.

Kumi-san would leave him the moment she found fame, even if it didn't appeal to her right now.

 _He doesn't…he fucking doesn't believe me? Or like me?_ Kaiba balked internally, now realizing he was in deep shit. He had underestimated Yami's "obsession" for him, which was turning out to be pure professional interest.

How did girls do it? Cry? Crying would ruin his makeup though….

Yami watched Kumi hang her head and he looked away pointedly, searching for the waitress.

Running into Harada today had really been the worst jolt back to reality.

Kumi might be his biggest loss yet, and it was possible she was already considering his rival company's offer, especially since she loved wearing brand name clothes.  
He couldn't risk messing things up with her further with kissing and touching.

He needed to be serious, because Kumi's face was the key to a classier portfolio. His career came first, because girls like her were rare…and fickle, disappearing the second they lost interest.

Kaiba finished composing his message on his phone and tapped Yami's arm with it, only to find himself ignored. Yami seemed to be lost in thought, so he tapped Yami's arm again, harder this time.

Yami felt her nudge his arm twice and he relented, glancing down to read her message.

 _"I thought you wanted to play hard-to-get with me. You're no fun. (red face)_

 _Clearly you act like different person when you're not dueling! (heart)_

 _I've watched all your televised duels with my little sister and even went to go see you at the Domino Arena in-person!_

 _So again, I'm offended that you acted like you liked me by kissing me and taking me shoe shopping, but you only want me to pose for you._

 _I don't want to do that. (thumbs down)"_

Frozen with shock, Yami read and re-read the message again and again.

Her words sounded almost too good to be true…and her way of writing was oddly familiar.

 _There, I win,_ Kaiba thought sourly, wishing Yami would go back to acting like a sappy fool so the cold atmosphere would let up.

"You have…a little sister?" Yami said finally, and Kaiba saw Yami's shoulders relax a little. Good. Finally.

"She must be as pretty as you," Yami said dully, seeing the waitress pass by with a kettle of hot water, and he waved her down, noticing Kumi's irritated expression.

 _Yeah, Mokuba is one pretty girl,_ Kaiba thought dryly, deleting the text and typing another message.

The light sound of trickling water filled the silence between them as the waitress tended to their teapot and set another teacup in front of Kumi before hurrying off politely.

 _About time,_ Kaiba thought angrily, reaching for the teapot, but Yami beat him to it, smiling for the first time since they had sat down and filled his cup with ease.

Deeply pleased, Kaiba handed Yami his phone and watched him pick it up gingerly, reading the message with an apprehensive smile.

Finally, it seemed Yami's mood was lifting.

 _"Or do you prefer being called Yami? I think I read in a magazine somewhere… no, never mind. I'm already embarrassed. (broken heart)_

 _My sister is a bigger fan of seto kaiba, sorry, hehe (grin) I'm also prettier than her, so don't go fucking looking for her to model for you, you creep._

 _You're making this date suck with your angry expressions. Stop it."_

 _She thinks it a date!_ Yami thought numbly, wondering if he could allow himself to feel happy. _And I suck. Understood._

Also, Yami couldn't help but bring himself to notice that Seto Kaiba had not been capitalized in her text, and that made his heart soar.

"I'm sorry," Yami said genuinely, peering into her face, slightly dismayed to see that she was still staring at her phone. "I'm sorry you had to see me angry. Harada is a two-faced recruiter. What did he promise you?"

 _Please, shut up about that_ , Kaiba thought angrily, realizing that Yami wasn't going to let the subject drop until he had gotten satisfactory answers.

Kaiba took his time composing his reply, lightly sipping his tea and making sure to keep his chin angled downwards to conceal his Adam's apple. Yami was sitting so close to him in broad daylight, he was bound to notice.

After a moment, Kumi handed Yami her phone and Yami accepted it politely with both hands, reading the message happily.

 _"OK seriously, STFU about that guy. He didn't even get to his pitch because he couldn't keep up with me (high heel)_

 _I was gonna stab him in the throat w my shoe cuz he wouldn't leave alone even tho I told him I was already coming here to see you._

 _I don't want to be a model. I'm going to leave if you keep talking about that._

 _Next topic._

 _(heart) I love duel monsters! (heart) (star)"_

"O-Okay," Yami said shakily, handing the phone back and feeling his stomach twist with nervous excitement. "Do you play…Duel Connect?"

Was this girl real or had he fabricated her from his imagination?

She looked like a perfect runway model but didn't want to be one?  
 _And_ she liked dueling? Did girls like this exist in real life?  
Was this real life?

 _Who takes Duel Connect seriously?_ Kaiba thought lightly, and he watched Yami pull out his phone excitedly to show him the loading screen. Apparently Yami did.

"I heard Kaiba had a hand in developing this game," Yami said animatedly, placing his phone down on the table and showing her his collection of decks. "I haven't had time to play, given my tight deadlines recently, but if you play, here is my ID!"

 _I left the dev team after a month because the game was starting to suck_ , Kaiba thought mildly, placing a napkin on the table before setting his phone on top of it and downloading the app on the spot.

Yami paused and frowned, wondering why she was just downloading the app if she claimed she loved dueling.

Her nicely manicured nails tapped the screen with ease, and Yami stared at her hands, mesmerized. Her pale hands reached for the teacup, her long fingers curling around it softly before lifting the cup to her lips to take a sip.

Kaiba was fully aware of Yami's heated gaze following his every movement, and it was causing his own ears to burn.

"Your attention to detail is nice," Yami said finally, throwing caution to the wind and deciding to compliment her without shame. "I can see that they're not stick-on nails. Did you paint them yourself?"

 _Yeah, for a whole fucking hour!_ Kaiba thought hysterically, flashing Yami a smile that was more like a grimace. _Because you called me out for stick-on nails in my office!_

"Let me see?" Yami asked tentatively, holding his hands out across the table. "While your game loads…Can I see?"

Kaiba rolled his eyes and stuck his hand out begrudgingly for Yami to inspect, feeling warm hands gently splay his fingers apart.

Yami held his breath and gazed down at her delicate fingernails, admiring the pretty red and white polka dotted pattern on every other finger with a pair of cherries as a finishing touch on each forefinger.

Amazing! This girl had an artistic flair for nails!

"May I…take a photo of this?" Yami asked bravely, his hand already inching for his phone. "Just hold the teacup like you were doing now. Your handiwork is quite unique."

 _Creep,_ Kaiba thought sourly, but he obliged, letting Yami set his empty teacup in his palms before hovering his phone camera above his hands, his brow furrowed in concentration.

"Pretty..." Yami said quietly, angling his phone camera lower to focus on her oval-shaped nails. "Can you…curl your fingers in and cradle the cup?"

 _What?_ Kaiba thought, but he bit his tongue and did as Yami asked, slightly amused to see his rival so engaged with taking photos of his hands using only his camera phone.

After a moment, Yami leaned away and gazed happily down at his screen, smiling warmly.

Kaiba's chest tightened strangely as he watched Yami become instantly more expressive.

"Can I have these photos?" Yami asked earnestly, pressing his phone to his chest, attempting to calm the rapid pounding of his heart. These pictures of Kumi's hands had saved him this week.

 _Sure,_ Kaiba rolled his eyes and nodded, lifting the teacup to his lips and almost scalding his own tongue when Yami asked him again.

"You're giving me permission to have your photos?"

 _Yes! Stop fucking asking the same question!_ Kaiba almost spoke out of pure frustration, and he clenched his teeth, reminding himself to remain silent.

Yami saw Kumi give him a tight, irritated nod, and he settled back into his seat, wondering if he ought to get written consent from her too, but she seemed annoyed already.

Kaiba saw his phone light up as the app completed its download, and he hastily bent forward to create an ID, desperate for something to do.

A QR code popped up on his screen, reading: _A friend is nearby! Do you want to scan?_

And before he could react, Yami's hand slid over his screen, and he watched as the code was scanned on Yami's phone.

"I can send you a few starter cards," Yami said happily, and Kaiba blinked, seeing several more notifications popping up on his phone, one after another.

 _"BlackMagi has sent you a starter pack!"_

 _"BlackMagi has sent you a starter pack!"_

 _"BlackMagi has sent you an exclusive card!"_

 _"BlackMagi has sent you a starter pack!"_

 _"BlackMagi has sent you a starter pack!"_

 _Hold on…._ Kaiba thought nervously, tapping each notification to clear it, and he saw each pack pop open on his screen, revealing a stream of nine cards before disappearing into a deck icon in the lower corner of his screen.

The notifications were still coming, and Yami was sounding quite pleased now.

"You strike me as a girl who loves to use scary monsters," Yami said, sending several more monsters from his own decks, determined to build her a deck she could instantly play with.

 _I'm…what?_ Kaiba thought, biting back a laugh, and he tapped his screen to accept more cards from Yami.

 _"BlackMagi has sent you a starter pack!"_

 _"BlackMagi has sent you a rare trap card!"_

 _"BlackMagi has sent you a rare fusion monster!"_

 _"BlackMagi has sent you a normal trap card!"_

 _"BlackMagi has sent you a rare spell card!"_

 _"BlackMagi has sent you holographic monster card!"_

 _"BlackMagi has sent you holographic monster card!"_

 _"BlackMagi has sent you a rare spell card!"_

 _Fucking wait!_ Kaiba thought anxiously, opening each pack and wondering what the fuck he was supposed to be doing with all these random cards and packs.

He wanted to build his own damn deck, but he didn't have time to explore the other parts on the app because Yami was spamming him with gifts.

And they were still coming.

 _"BlackMagi has sent you a rare trap card!"  
"BlackMagi has sent you a rare magic card!"  
"BlackMagi has sent you a holographic fusion monster!"  
"BlackMagi has sent you a starter pack!"_

Suddenly, a bright yellow rectangle emerged on his screen, blinking:

 **"CONGRATULATIONS! A DECK HAS BEEN COMPLETED!"**

 **[o] play now!** v.s user: BlackMagi **[x] exit**

"There!" Yami smiled mischievously, now fully enthused at the idea of a virtual duel. "Select play. I've invited you already."

Thoroughly vexed, Kaiba tapped 'play' and decided to go along with Yami for now.

A screen filled with cards appeared, and there was small text bubble suggesting he make last-minute changes to his deck before a duel.

Scrolling through the cards, Kaiba's amazement rose when he realized Yami had built him a pretty competent deck, in fact, it was one of his own machine decks!

"You like it!" Yami cried happily, leaning forward and gazing eagerly into her face. "You mentioned watching televised duels, so you must recognize this? It's one of Kaiba's decks that I put together with spare cards. You can have it!"

 _Imitation is the highest form of flattery_ , Kaiba sniffed arrogantly to himself, throwing Yami a playful smirk. This would be a good match.

"GAME START" glowed on the screen and Kaiba tapped his deck excitedly, happy with his opening hand. Yami was going first…but he was going to make him cry.

Footsteps approached the edge of their table and the waitress bowed politely, placing the check on the table.

"I'm sorry, but we are closing before the dinner rush," she said nervously, eyeing the empty teapot and teacups on the table. "We close in ten minutes."

Yami nodded and hastily slipped his wallet out of his pocket and handed her his card, his cheeks slightly pink.

Kaiba noticed this and inadvertently felt his ears burn with a rage and humiliation. If he hadn't forgotten his damn purse on his desk, he could've paid for everything in sight and watched Yami squirm, instead of causing embarrassment all around.

He tapped away from the app and typed out an indignant message, sending the text to Yami and watching his phone buzz on the table.

Startled, Yami glanced down, wondering why Kumi was texting him even though she was sitting right there.

 _"I forgot my purse…again. I'm so fucking pissed."_

Yami laughed and smiled at her, pleased to see that her ears were red with embarrassment.

"I think it's cute that you're a bit forgetful," Yami said, giving her a playful wink. "You forgot your purse the other night when we met in the park too. Seems like it's a normal occurrence."

Yami chuckled and watched her duck her head down to furiously text him, and his phone vibrated with her angry reply.

"ITS NOT! STOP FUCKING LAUGHING!"

The waitress came back with Yami's card, and he quickly accepted it, rising to his feet and offering Kumi his outstretched hand.

"We can always play online later," Yami said, tilting his head towards the door, feeling another wave of embarrassment when he realized the restaurant was completely empty.

Kaiba noticed this too, and he stood hastily, making sure to keep his skirt down as he rose to his feet, ignoring Yami's hand.

He tried to stem the twinge of disappointment that was clawing its way up his throat. He had wanted to fucking duel, and they had been kicked out before he could complete his first move.

"We're in a really trendy area," Yami commented, walking a few paces ahead of him. Kaiba wondered why Yami was suddenly so enthusiastic.

"Do you come here often, Kumi-san? There's a street that's popular with fashionable girls…like you!"

 _Oh, it's because your pervert senses are tingling,_ Kaiba thought discreetly, smiling a little, and Yami clung to that smile with all his might.

"Then…show me around," Yami smiled back heartily and his face lit up. "Wait! I do know of one place…. follow me!"

 _Great contradiction,_ Kaiba thought sardonically. _You never come here but you 'know of a place', and you want me to follow you._

But he obliged and followed Yami closely, glad that his shoes were slightly more comfortable than usual. He had anticipated either running away or walking quickly, so he had chosen to wear a shorter heel, but he felt oddly naked without a purse.

Yami discreetly studied Kumi's reflection in every store window every time they passed a display, and he was picking up more details about her now that they were together in daylight.

The hair he had believed to be extensions no longer had an odd sheen, and Yami figured he had been seeing things due to the uneven lighting during all the times he had seen her previously.

Her makeup was lighter today, and it was probably because today was a clear fall day, not a dark cloudy evening. Kumi-san was definitely the type of girl to change her makeup according to the time of day….

Their eyes met briefly, and Yami glanced away quickly, blushing.

Kaiba eyed the colorful mannequins in every store that they passed on the street, acutely aware that Yami wasn't looking at the clothes, but at him in the reflection of the window. Could he be any more obvious?

Yami paused mid-step, seeming confused, and Kaiba hung back, thinking it was time to leave. His rival was clearly lost, and was trying to recall how to get to 'the place' but had forgotten.

"Kumi-san, do you like collecting—" Yami turned to gaze up into her face and his voice caught in his throat when he spied a slender Adam's apple sitting in the middle of her neck.  
He felt his resolve crumble.

Well, she had one masculine feature.

He had worked with women who had visible adam's apples before, so maybe this wasn't so strange. After all, she was _incredibly_ tall.

 _Talk…talk, hello?_ Kaiba waved his hand in front of Yami's face, wondering why Yami's expression had changed, and he suddenly looked oddly vacant.

"…collecting…keychains," Yami finished weakly, aiming to look out for any other tell-tale signs.

Kaiba shook his head, irritated. He clicked his phone to type out message just as Yami's hand shot into his vision and grabbed him by the wrist, dragging him down the street towards an alleyway that was lined with brightly colored gashapon machines.

Kaiba stared at the toy machines, seeing several groups of people crowded around certain ones, and his interest began to wane.

This stuff was for kids.

"This one has been popular lately," Yami said excitedly, leading him down the alley and to one at the very end which had a group of unruly-looking delinquents crowded around it.

Nervous, Kaiba shook his head tightly. Nope. Men who looked like that were bad news. Also, he wasn't in the mood to field more lewd stares from other guys.

To his light surprise, the two boys near the back of the group turned around and stepped aside respectfully for Yami to pass.

Frowning, Kaiba watched another boy tap his friend on the sleeve and pull him away from the machine, and his friend resisted him.

"No! No, one more! I have 500 yen left!"

"Shut up, let's move," his friend growled, dragging him away from the machine, and Kaiba's confusion grew.

"Here," Yami said, seemingly unfazed by the group's odd behavior, and he grabbed Kumi's hand, pressing a 500 yen coin into her palm, and Kaiba blinked at it.

Why the fuck was Yami giving him spare change to play a toy machine?!

Was this his idea of a romantic date?

"You scan your duel ID here," Yami instructed patiently, holding his phone underneath the tiny black square scanner at the front of the machine, and Kaiba watched with rising interest as Yami inserted the coin and gave the handle a slow turn.

The tiny plastic capsules inside the machine rattled, and one popped out at the bottom after several turns of the handle.

"…and let's see," Yami cracked the pod open and Kaiba could feel an odd silence settling over the boys behind them who were clearly watching them from afar.

A tiny Blue-Eyes White Dragon hanging from a strap emerged from the white plastic pod, and Kaiba heard a collective gasp behind him.

Numb with a mixture of amusement and appreciation, Kaiba felt himself smile, and he was nearly toppled over when a boy rushed forward with several empty pods in his hands, "Yami, trade you…please, please!" and Kaiba could see an array of other duel monsters hidden in the folds of the plastic wrappings

A Jinzo, with quite a few scapegoats, and a Dark Magician Girl.

"I'm not trading just yet," Yami replied lightly, holding the dragon charm up and away from the boy's reach, pleased to see Kumi's steadily widening eyes. "This one is for my friend here."

The tiny dragon charm was hooked onto his pinky and Kaiba's chest tightened with odd satisfaction as he watched it dangle from his fingers.  
Yami was giving this to him?

"Trade _you!_ " the boy insisted, turning to the woman on his left and holding his capsules up for Kaiba to see, his eyes shining hopefully.

 _Oh, hell no,_ Kaiba scoffed, and he gave the boy a wry smile, sliding his phone out to scan his duel ID.

The machine accepted his QR, and Kaiba let Yami turn the handle of the machine for him, and a blue capsule popped out this time. Kaiba picked it up hastily, feeling rising excitement in spite of himself, and he cracked it open with ease.

To his great disappointment, a tiny black Kuriboh hanging on a bright yellow strap stared back at him, and several incredulous gasps and groans echoed behind him.

"That's unfair," someone said, and Kaiba straightened up, turning around to see the group of school boys glaring at him, pouting, with their arms folded across their chests.

"Whenever you come to play it, Yami, you get the rarest ones! I tried five times just now! And Tak-kun tried it three times."

"It's fair," Yami said plainly, giving Kumi a smile and pointing at the black Kuriboh in her hands. "Because you've turned it eight times, you made this possible for us!"

"Unfair!" the little boy wailed, holding up his tiny Jinzo and waving it at his brother. "Please! Trade you, big bro! This is my rarest one! Everyone has a Blue-Eyes except for me!"

Yami gave his arm a tug and Kaiba let himself be led out of the alleyway, feeling slightly lightheaded and in good spirits.

"You have incredible luck," Yami declared, smiling proudly at Kumi, and he saw her smile back fully. It made his heart flutter and he glanced away quickly, reminding himself that what he felt for this girl was lust, and not love.

A bedazzled phone was shoved under his nose as they continued walking down the street, and Yami read Kumi's message, his heart racing happily.

 _"I love this charm! I need to find a place to hang it!"_

"You're welcome," Yami replied, eyeing the sky which was turning bright orange, and he dared to feel hopeful.  
Maybe…this friendship would last.  
Kumi seemed to really like Duel Monsters.  
But he reminded himself that he thought this about every single model he encountered who spared him an ounce of attention.

Kaiba gripped his phone tightly and brushed his hair out of his face, wondering why Yami wasn't gazing at him adoringly today.  
Was it…really because of that guy earlier?

They reached the end of the street and Yami turned to smile at him, looking oddly forlorn.

"Would you like to join me for dinner? Or do you have somewhere to be tonight?"

 _Oh, date over,_ Kaiba thought mildly, thinking today all felt very anticlimactic. There was no lewd grinding up on his shoe, and Yami was behaving relatively normally. Actually, it had been quite…nice?

But damn, he felt oddly jilted because he had spent so much time coordinating his outfit, straightening his hair, doing his nails and makeup, only to have received a few long stares and one compliment about his nails.

"I'll walk you to the train station…or to, where you need to be," Yami said awkwardly, unable to stop staring up at her impossibly long eyelashes while she gazed blankly into the distance over his shoulder.

 _No, I'm not letting you off that easily_ , Kaiba thought wickedly, deciding on the spot that he wouldn't let Yami leave until they had kissed again.

Yami watched Kumi shake her beautiful head, and his heart skipped a beat. No? No, what? No…dinner? Or…?

She reached her hand out, palm outstretched, and Yami stared at it, memorizing the tiny lines that ran through her skin.

Was she asking for something? He didn't understand what she wanted.

 _Hold…my fucking hand, you idiot_ , Kaiba thought angrily, reaching down to grab Yami's hand and pleased to see his cheeks redden instantly. Good.

Yami bit back a gasp as she forcefully dragged him down the street and he raked his gaze shamelessly down her back, appreciating her sharp, broad back that was nicely accentuated with the black blazer she was wearing. It went nicely with the tight, black skirt, and he realized with a jolt that she wasn't wearing stockings, leggings, or socks.

Her skin was beautiful, pale, and smooth. Her thighs and calves were also nicely toned.

His mouth growing dry, Yami blinked rapidly, willing himself to remain clear-headed. He didn't want to touch her beautiful, slender legs. That would be…inappropriate.

Yami glanced around and realized Kumi had walked them back to the café, but the street was now deserted because the store was still closed.

Kumi gave him a tug, and they walked right past the restaurants and down a back alley.

Nervous, Yami tried to pry his hand out of her grasp but she tightened her grip almost painfully.

They turned a corner and circled a large building for several paces before Yami saw the tail-end of a beautiful white sports car. The air left his lungs in a sudden whoosh as he realized…this was…her car!

She had parked all the way here…alone? Did she know she was pretty lady? It was dangerous to be in places like this alone!

"Beautiful car," Yami said quietly, and Kaiba felt another twinge of annoyance. Yeah, pretty car, but don't compliment the hair, or the makeup, or anything that took _effort_ , but sure, the car is pretty.

Kaiba gave Yami another tug and pushed him against the side of his car, towering over him triumphantly, enjoying the added height from his heels, and he watched Yami's eyes dart to the side nervously while a bulge was extremely visible underneath his stacked belts.

Really? That was all it took? This was too fucking easy.

Kaiba placed his hands on Yami's shoulders and smirked, pleased to have cornered his prey, and Yami shook his head nervously, stammering, "Ah...Kumi-san…you're scaring me."

 _Am I now?_ Kaiba glowered, leaning down to press his lips tightly against Yami's forehead and he heard Yami's gasp, leaning away and attempting to keep his composure.

"We can't… I mean, I want to work with you," Yami said desperately, wondering why he was lying so much to himself. "I know you don't like me the same way—"

He was cut off with a tight kiss.

Yami blinked rapidly, his stomach swooping wonderfully. He was losing his resolve as her perfume blanketed him warmly, and her hands were cradling his face gently while their lips remained connected.

Her lips were so soft.

She smelled so good.

Her lips were so soft.

She smelled so good.

The same thoughts kept echoing through Yami's head as her hands wandered down the sides of his face, past his neck, and down to his shoulders, her hands squeezing him tightly, causing his skin to burn.

 _That's good, shut up,_ Kaiba thought happily to himself, letting his hands roam boldly down Yami's front, and he felt Yami jerk away frantically, pressing the back of his hand to his mouth, his violet eyes wide with a mixture of fear and…confusion.

Yami tried to lean away from her, but all he managed to do cause the car handle to dig painfully into his lower back.

"Stop it," Yami said weakly, bringing his hand away from his mouth, expecting to see it stained red with lipstick, but to his pleasant surprise, it was clean.

Kaiba noticed this and grinned, dragging and index finger sensually across his bottom lip and holding it up for Yami to see that his lipstick wasn't budging today. He wasn't going to make that mistake again.

"You…" Yami faltered, realizing that she had intentionally worn a more permanent lipstick, just so they could kiss.

No way. That couldn't be it, could it?

Kaiba reached for Yami's face again and his hands were swatted away as Yami tried to dodge his advances, but he was trapped between his arms, still pinned to the side of the car.

"You don't even like me!" Yami insisted, feeling so frustrated, he was on the verge of tears. "I know you like playing. I understand. But I'm not looking for a casual relationship… I want—"

And he was cut off again. Kumi's hands held his face in place while she kissed him deeply, and a silky tongue glided warmly along his bottom lip, causing his knees to weaken and his erection to throb shamefully in his pants.

 _Fine, what do you want? You can talk now._ Kaiba thought slyly, pulling away and waiting for Yami to speak again, but his rival seemed to be at a loss for words. His cheeks were flushed, his eyes were narrowed, and his chest was heaving.

 _Again, then?_ Kaiba wondered mildly, leaning down again, and Yami threw an arm across his own face. "No!"

Growing irritated, Kaiba glared at Yami's elbow and eased up.  
Fine. This wasn't funny anymore.  
Time to open his mouth and speak, and then maybe call an ambulance to pick up Yami's corpse.

"I want…I want you to be my girlfriend," Yami said faintly, his voice barely audible from underneath his arm. "No games, Kumi-san. My heart can't take it anymore."

 _That's a horrible way to ask someone to be your girlfriend,_ Kaiba thought scornfully.  
Yami couldn't even look him in the face right now.  
How fucking romantic.

Yami slowly lowered his arm, suppressing a shiver when he saw a look of pure distaste flashing across her face.

"I'm sorry," Yami said dully, hating the sinking pit of despair pooling in his stomach. "So, let's…be friends, or coworkers."

There was a long silence before Kumi shoved her phone underneath his nose, and Yami read the long message halfheartedly.

 _"You. Disgust me. And to think I used to admire you on TV while you dueled._

 _IS THAT how you ask someone to be your girlfriend?! It's no wonder you're single, cuz you are single, aren't you? I was going to ASK, BUT I KNOW ALREADY._

 _And I REJECT that proposal. Try again. Loser._

 _Hint: flowers? Or, oh, I don't know, maybe a nice dinner?_

 _Get out of my face, off my car, and out of my way._

 _I'm mad at you._

 _You don't even want to kiss me._

 _You suck at kissing, ATEM._

 _You didn't compliment me at all today._

 _I hate you MOVE! WHY ARE YOU NOT MOVING GET OFF MY CAR RIGHT NOW"_

Yami blinked, her words hitting him like a powerful blow to the gut, and a strong hand grabbed him by the arm to wrench him away from the car.

He stumbled out of the way as Kaiba pried the door open and tucked himself into the front seat, not bothering to keep his skirt tucked, because he knew Yami wasn't looking anyway.

What a fucking waste of time.

He revved the engine loudly and watched Yami back away slowly, keeping close to the wall of the building as he reversed furiously.

Yami watched the white car peel away out from the tiny space and down through the narrow alleyway, leaving behind a thin cloud of dust, and he dropped to his knees weakly, terribly angry at himself.

Right. She…was a fan. She expressed that she watched televised duels…for him!

 _She actually…likes me?_ Yami wondered incredulously, slowly rising to his feet and dusting off his knees.

Well, now that they had an explosive parting, it meant that he had really messed things up.

Sighing in distress, Yami texted both Mai and Anzu before clicking his phone off and waiting for a reply. He gazed up at the darkening sky, his chest so tight with emotions that he felt like he was about to explode.

His phone buzzed with simultaneous responses, and Yami glanced down at them both, reading Anzu's message first.

 _"Yamiiiiiiii…. Maybe you need to learn how to read expressions and moods better. If she was kissing you, you don't accuse her of 'playing'?! And if she is playing, and you know it, why are you still kissing her? Call me?! Having dinner with Yugi + Jou tonight, come join?"_

And Mai's response was simply:

 _"Bring flowers nxt time + attach a gift card 4 makeup as an apology."_

Yami clicked his phone off and kicked out at the cement in frustration. Maybe he was approaching this badly. First, he needed to apologize to her, but input from Mai and Anzu only got him so far in these situations.

Maybe…he needed to do something differently this time, because Kumi was an extra special girl.

Maybe…the only reason he had managed to score a date with her was because of…Kaiba.

The realization hit Yami extra hard, and he sagged against the cold brick wall.

It _was_ because Kaiba had helped him in this instance.

If he had done it alone, he never would've gotten the chance to even see her again.

Damn. Now he really owed Kaiba an apology for the blackmail, and a word of thanks.

It was just a cherry on top of this great week he was having.

Yami sighed again and set off down the alleyway, deciding to head over to the Kaiba residence now.

The sooner he apologized, the better he would feel about asking for Kaiba's help again concerning this elusive, tall beauty.

* * *

 **Author's note:**

Hiiii everyone! I took a week-long break and now have returned with full gusto and a new editor (claps for setokaibaes/marshmallons! Your hard work is much appreciated!)

Leave a comment of your thoughts below!

And please consider supporting your local internet smut writer with a some spare change

or get early access to chapters via patreeeeeeon!

Hugs,  
Ugli


	6. or the wind in my hair

Kaiba hooked his heels in his hands and dashed though his house, racing up the grand staircase and successfully reaching the door to his room unseen.

He threw himself inside before slamming and locking the door, breathing heavily.

God, Yami was infuriating.

Throwing his heels aside carelessly, Kaiba stepped into the bathroom to wash up, peeling off his eyelashes as he went.

His phone buzzed audibly in his desk and Kaiba ignored it, keen on scrubbing the makeup off his skin before doing anything else.

* * *

Yami sent Kaiba a few more texts and waited for a response, feeling his feet ache as he glanced up at the city lights around him.

Maybe he should take a cab, but he didn't want to show up at Kaiba's residence only to discover that Kaiba was out of the country.

Well, it was worth a try anyway.

He stopped mid-step and flagged down a cab that was coming his way, wondering how he could make it up to Kaiba in a way that mattered.

* * *

Kaiba stepped out of the shower and toweled his hair dry, his scalp aching from where the extensions were clipped in, and he raked his hand through his hair, sighing.

Remembering that he had a missed phone call, Kaiba slid his desk drawer open and pulled out his phone, seeing a few texts from Yami and two missed calls.

What the fuck.

He tapped on the messages and scrolled down, his heart racing frantically in his chest as he read them.

 _"Kaiba, I owe you an apology. I will say it in person."_

 _"Are you available tonight? Thinking about heading over now."  
_  
 _What?!_ Kaiba eyed the time stamp. This message had been sent half an hour ago.

 _"I called a cab. Be there in ten minutes."_

The air left his lungs in a slow stream, and Kaiba hissed in annoyance. Honestly, Yami was getting too comfortable with him now. Why was he suddenly coming over whenever he fucking pleased?

And…

Kaiba glanced down at his nails and cursed. Soaking these off would take longer than ten minutes! That text had been sent five minutes ago.

Also…

Kaiba glanced around the room, seeing stray heels by the door, hair extensions on his bed, makeup lined up against the bathroom counter, and his outfit tossed carelessly on top of his dress shirts.

Fuck. This room looked like a mess.

But first, the nails.

He rushed into the bathroom, searching for the bottle of acetone, grabbing it and soaking a corner of the towel in it and pressing the fabric down onto his finger.

Great. Now he had ruined a wonderful towel, but there was no time to worry about that.

The cascading ring of the doorbell echoed through the house, and Kaiba winced, still frantically rubbing his forefinger where the pair of cherries sat stubbornly painted on his nail, smearing only a bit.

God, why did he have to do this to himself?

He could've used a stick-on nail, but no, he had to fucking paint it on his _actual_ nail.

Soaking the corner of the towel in the chemical again, he pressed it down on his finger. Kaiba held his breath and willed himself to count to ten.

Composure. Willpower.

He glanced down at his nail and gave it a ferocious wipe.

Finally, the cherries came off and left a red stain on his white towel.

A knock sounded at his door, and Kaiba stuck his head out of the bathroom and shouted, "Don't come in!"

Isono's voice lightly drifted in through a crack in the door. "Master Kaiba, you have a visitor."

"Yeah, make him wait!" Kaiba hissed, and he gave his other nails vicious rubs with the towel, finally seeing the color come off, leaving his nailbed clean.

He swept the makeup into his arms and methodically returned them into a drawer in his dresser, and shook out the hair extensions before wrapping them up in a spare pillow case. He shoved that into a hanger and hid it among his suits.

He stuffed the purse under his bed and straightened up, wondering if he had missed anything. Two things. The shoes and his outfit.

Kaiba ran to the door and picked up the heels, throwing them into the far back of his shoe drawer and moving two pairs of dress shoes in front of them. He made sure to roll up the outfit he had worn and hide in the back of his closet.

Now, he was done.

Kaiba breathlessly paced the room, making sure there were no stay traces of powder, hair, or makeup on any of his surfaces…. The phone.

He snatched the sparkly phone off his nightstand and powered it off, throwing it carelessly under his pillow.

 _Now_ , he was done.

Downstairs, Yami sat in the main area on a plush leather couch, wondering if Kaiba was hiding from him in his own home again.

It sure seemed like it. He had arrived ten minutes ago and had been sitting for quite a while.

Standing, Yami nodded politely at Isono and asked, "May I go up to see him? It's been a while."

The sound of a door slamming echoed loudly through the mansion and Yami jumped, startled.

Kaiba's slender form appeared at the top of the grand staircase for a moment before disappearing as he walked away, his arrogant voice ringing throughout the house, "What the fuck do you want?" And he door slammed loudly again.

Yami gave Isono an exasperated look, and the manservant bowed. "I suppose you may go up now."

Nodding gratefully, Yami hurried up the grand staircase and cautiously approached Kaiba's door, knocking politely.

"Don't come in. I'm sick of seeing you," was Kaiba's answer through the closed door, and Yami tilted his head, slightly confused.

"We don't see each other that often, do we?" Yami asked, hearing his own voice echo strangely down the spacious hallway, and it made him uncomfortable. "I'm coming in, Kaiba."

"Fuck, I said, _don't_ ," Kaiba replied coldly, seeing his door open. Yami stepped into his room and closed the door quickly behind him, looking the same as ever. It hadn't even been an hour since he had last seen Yami.

"I'm here to say I'm sorry, Kaiba, I'm very sorry," Yami said nervously, placing his hands stiffly at his sides, wondering if he ought to bow formally. But if he did that, would Kaiba make him kneel and apologize that way for pure humiliation?

Knowing Kaiba, he would.

"For being annoying? For being a pain in my ass? Which is it?" Kaiba shot back, his skin crawling as he wondered if he had been figured out. Was Yami here to apologize for his appalling behavior to Kumi?

If so, where were his fucking flowers?

"I'm apologizing for all of the above," Yami said stiffly, deciding he would bow, so he did. He remained in a bowed position, clenching his fists at his sides, knowing he was throwing his pride away to be in Kaiba's good graces once more.

"What the fuck is 'all of the above'?" Kaiba sneered, staring at the tips of Yami's spiky tri-colored hair, thinking he wanted to hear Yami say what he was sorry for.

"First, for blackmailing you," Yami replied, keeping his voice steady and his eyes down, fixating on the tips of Kaiba's white slippers. "And then for being generally rude and pushy about a certain girl."

He straightened up to meet Kaiba's haughty gaze, and to his dismay, Kaiba still looked unsatisfied.

"Yeah, I think you've got a lot more to apologize for," Kaiba sniffed, pointing to the floor and grinning evilly. "Try kneeling and apologizing like a proper human...at my feet."

"I knew you were going to ask," Yami said balefully, and he folded his arms across his chest defiantly. "I have given a sufficient apology already. Now, I have to thank you."

Kaiba let out a bark of laughter and gripped his sides, wondering if he was losing his mind or hallucinating. What had gotten into Yami lately?

"…For helping me find that girl," Yami continued, his irritation rising. "So, thank you, for your help. And I came by to tell you that I royally messed things up with her, so there's that."

Kaiba leaned against the edge of his desk, his shoulders shaking with repressed mirth.

"You what?" he snickered, and he watched Yami's expression fall dramatically.

"Yes, laugh at me all you want," Yami sighed, looking deeply hurt. "I didn't take her seriously, and she hates me now. I will never see her again. Have a good night, Kaiba."

"Wow, pathetic," Kaiba goaded, watching Yami turn and walk to the door. "You're just going to let her hate you. Way to be a fighter."

Yami paused with his hand on the doorknob, turning to face Kaiba, looking confused. "What?"

"You're just going to let her hate you?" Kaiba repeated, feeling as if he was talking to a wall. "You're not going to apologize? Or make it up to her?"

Yami blinked, lowering his hand and shaking his head sadly. "She's incredibly out of my league. I don't even know what flowers…to give her."

" _Any_ fucking flowers would do?!" Kaiba said loudly, not even realizing that he was raising his voice. "What the fuck goes on in your head when you're not thinking about Duel Monsters?! It's no wonder you're single."

"Fucking mention that I'm single one more damn time…" Yami hissed, his temper flaring, and he whirled around to face Kaiba fully. "And I'll just remind you that you're gay every five seconds."

"Thanks for that, I really need the reminder," Kaiba taunted, realizing how hilarious this statement was, given how he had women's clothes, hair, and makeup, strategically hidden all around them.

"Well, since you're _so gay_ ," Yami said venomously, folding his arms across his chest, "You can tell me what kind of flowers she'll like."

"I literally just said, _any flowers_ ," Kaiba enunciated, rolling his eyes. "You're fucking helpless."

"And then also tell me why she keeps forgetting her purse?" Yami added, the questions about Kumi overflowing quickly. "Does she do that on purpose to make me pay for the date? And why does she ignore me sometimes, but other times, acts like she really likes me?"

"Because maybe she hates you," Kaiba answered in a deadpan voice, pleased to see Yami's composure slipping. "Or maybe she likes you. Who knows."

"…Or maybe she has a boyfriend!" Yami cried, spiraling wildly now, "And I'm just someone for her on the side. Did you know that she drives a sports car? Is she a car enthusiast or does she only want material things? She flaunts her money but then behaves like she doesn't have money!"

"Maybe because, she…forgot her purse?" Kaiba said, raising his eyebrows and biting back laughter. Nevermind his anger earlier. This was fucking hilarious and totally worth it.

"Also," Yami continued, showing no signs of stopping, and Kaiba tucked his tongue into his cheek, unable to keep the smile off of his face. "She looks like a runway model, but she doesn't want fame! What kind of girl doesn't want fame?! Is that possible?! Is she lying to me?"

"I'm bored. New story please," Kaiba said viciously, examining his nails lazily, making absolutely sure there was no residual red lacquer.

"She also says that I 'suck'," Yami said plainly, feeling his stomach sink to his feet, not caring if Kaiba was going to continue taunting him. "She said it many times, at least twice. Laugh if you want. I'm at my wit's end."

"You do suck," Kaiba scoffed, mirroring Yami's stance and folding his arms across his chest. "You didn't even fucking try yet. Start with flowers, you fool, and see where that gets you."

"No, you don't understand." Yami reddened and glanced down at his shoes before mumbling, "She says that I suck at…kissing."

Kaiba blinked, feeling another wave of laughter threatening to consume him. Holy fuck…holy fuck, this was too good…! He had forgotten he had said that in his text rant.

Honestly, Yami wasn't even that bad at kissing, but he had said that out of pure spite, and it had clearly bruised Yami's ego very badly.

He pressed a knuckle to his lower lip and did his best to withhold his laughter, watching Yami lift his head slowly and blink his large, angular eyes at him.

"Oh, go ahead and laugh then," Yami snapped, noticing that Kaiba was tapping his foot and flicking his fingers at the same time in an attempt to keep from laughing.

Kaiba held his breath and remained composed, taking deep, even breaths, feeling incredibly refreshed.

"No, it's not that funny," Kaiba said playfully, grinning widely at Yami and seeing his rival look glumly back at him. "I think I'll help you."

Yami blinked incredulously. What? Really?

Wait…what was in it for Kaiba? There was always a tradeoff.

"My offer expires in three seconds," Kaiba said gleefully, watching Yami waver on the spot before nodding vigorously.

"Yes, I will appreciate your help."

"Good." Kaiba smiled triumphantly, and gestured for Yami to step closer. "Where should we start? Kissing lessons? Or 'How to Give a Proper Apology on Your Knees 101?'"

Yami bit the tip of his tongue so hard, his eyes watered.

Right, of course. This was all a big joke to Kaiba.

Kissing lessons. And how to grovel for forgiveness.

And Kaiba's main goal, was a kiss. He had been after that…for a while.

Kaiba watched Yami take a hesitant step backward, his arm feeling for the doorknob behind him, and he tried not to feel offended.

"You can refuse, that's fine," Kaiba said coldly, his chest tightening with anger at the visible rejection. "Good luck kissing that girl who is out of your league. And have fun finding a mannequin to practice on."

Yami floundered visibly, and Kaiba smirked, leaning back further against his desk, fully relaxed.

After a long bout of silence, Yami spoke in a hoarse whisper, "Why? Why do you want to kiss so badly?"

"Why not?" Kaiba responded irritably, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. "Because it's fun? Well, fun, for me."

"Yes, but…why _me_?" Yami said, his anxiety rising. It sounded like Kaiba just wanted to use him as a…kissing pole!

"Because, you're here," Kaiba said simply, realizing that he never really given it much thought, but he had been feeling so distressed over his own new hobby that his feelings about kissing Yami were only second to that.

Coming to terms with being gay wasn't the hard part.

It was coming to terms with the fact that he enjoyed parading around in women's clothes…and masquerading as a woman, but not actually liking women…sexually—that was hard.

It was strange.

And now, Yami was balking over the fact that their lips were going to touch, when they already had, several times now.

"Well, I'm…uncomfortable with it," Yami replied stiffly, and to his surprise, Kaiba brushed him off with alarming ease.

"Whatever. Then leave."

There was another long and tense silence as Yami grappled with himself, trying to justify a kiss between two men.

He was doing it for Kumi, so did that make it okay?

Kaiba wasn't _unattractive,_ so visually it wasn't an issue, which meant that…if he closed his eyes, it would be just like kissing Kumi…right?

"Fine," Yami relented, growing cold all over as he wondered what he was agreeing to.

Kaiba smirked, watching Yami hesitate while the tips of his ears turned red. Hilarious. Who knew Yami was so easily embarrassed?

Yami stood rooted to the spot as Kaiba took a rapid step forward and towered over him, smiling boyishly.

Kaiba's hands came toward his face and Yami tensed, instantly reminded of Kumi, and his heart skipped a solid beat.

He shut his eyes tightly, bracing himself, feeling nothing for a long second before a hot breath grazed down his nose and soft, warm lips pressed against his own, causing him to grow hot until suddenly, the sensation vanished.

Yami held his breath and tentatively opened his eyes, seeing Kaiba walking back to his desk, giving him a careless wave over his shoulder.

"Lesson over. Get out."

Blinked rapidly, Yami pressed a hand over his mouth, his lips burning white hot, the fire spreading across his face and down his chest, his heart pounding so quickly in his chest, it became a low hum.

"What? That's it?" Yami asked, creeping his fingers up to touch his lower lip which was still burning. Why…did it feel like that? His lips never burned when he kissed a girl.

"Yeah, that's it," Kaiba replied impatiently, seating himself behind his desk and flipping open his laptop, tapping the spacebar rapidly. "What did you think it was going to be?"

Yami bristled, "That...wasn't anything!"

Kaiba stared blankly at his desktop before raising his gaze to level with Yami's, his heart pounding loudly in his chest. "What?"

There was another long silence, and Kaiba watched Yami glare at him, looking slightly confused.

Kaiba sighed, pressing a finger to his temple, addressing Yami by his name for the first time. "Yami, what the fuck do you think kissing is?"

Taken aback by the sudden seriousness in Kaiba's tone, Yami folded his arms across his chest and decided to remain stubbornly quiet.

"I hope you're not slobbering all over her face," Kaiba said testily, feeling a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Please tell me you know that there are different _types_ of kissing."

Kaiba sat back in his seat, gazing listlessly at Yami, recalling all the times Yami had lunged at him for a kiss but had missed.

He couldn't believe the words coming out of his own mouth right now.

Was he honestly, seriously, giving Atem, the _Pharaoh Atem_ , actual kissing lessons?! Why did Yami take him so seriously sometimes?!

"Of course I know that," came Yami's lofty answer, and Kaiba rolled his eyes.

"Right, sure you did. See yourself out."

There was another long, awkward silence while Yami just stood there, and Kaiba was beginning to lose his patience.

"What the fuck do you want? Just fucking say it," Kaiba fumed, and he watched Yami redden noticeably again.

"I can't learn if you're doing it to me," Yami replied quietly, feeling weak all over, unable to believe the words coming out of his mouth. "She's always the one kissing me…! I never get to do it first because…she's taller than me!"

"Wow, too bad," Kaiba said dryly, no longer finding it funny. He wanted to lay down. He was tired, and Yami's presence was starting to wear on his nerves.

"I'm going to do it back to you," Yami said, sounding very determined, and Kaiba paused, his hands hovering over his keyboard, his interest rekindled.

Without warning, Yami strode quickly towards him and circled his desk. Before Kaiba had time to gather his thoughts, Yami's hands came for his face, and heated palms pressed lightly against his cheeks, pulling his head upwards as their lips met.

Kaiba's stomach churned with a mixture of nervousness and arousal as Yami pecked him lightly on the lips once, twice, and there was a soft pause, before Yami leaned forward to kiss him lightly a third time. Kaiba kept his eyes wide open, staring at Yami's dark eyelashes which were centimeters from his own face, and his lips burned wonderfully.

Yami leaned away and released Kaiba's face, giving his own mouth an offensive wipe with the back of his hand, "There. How was that?"

 _Great_ , Kaiba thought faintly, blinking steadily, feeling oddly lightheaded, and he forced his expression to remain impassive.

"It was fine," Kaiba replied emptily, feeling his cheeks burn with an alien sensation, and he quickly glanced down at his laptop, the keys blurring heavily in his vision.

"Just 'fine'?" Yami echoed, despair curling low in his chest. "Are you messing with me?"

"Yes, and no," Kaiba answered truthfully, realizing that Yami sounded hurt because he had actually really tried to kiss him well. Oh fuck, that was cute.

"You're no help," Yami fumed, marching towards the door and flinging it open, "I won't be back."

Speechless, Kaiba watched Yami slam the door behind him, the sound echoing sharply through his room, leaving an odd ringing in his ears.

Kaiba palmed his face heavily.

What the fuck was happening.

He slipped out his phone to hastily compose a text message, hoping to remedy the situation as quickly as possible.

"Mr. Mutou," Isono bowed respectfully at Yami as he stalked out the front doors. "Let me escort you back into the city."

Yami paused mid-step and gave the manservant an appraising look. Fine.

His phone buzzed while he followed Isono to a waiting limousine, and he pulled it out to check, expecting a text from Anzu or Mai, but instead, it was from Kaiba.

 **Kaiba:** _[image attached]_ you're welcome.

Climbing into the limo, Yami tapped on the picture message and pulled the door shut beside him, hearing Isono climb into the front seat.

It was an image of a business card

 **Reiji Kimura** **– FLORIST**

 **store: 0374-097232  
mobile: 905.231.3557 **_[appointments only!]_

 ** _Mon – Thurs: 9:00 – 14:00_**

 _Oh_ , Yami thought mildly, feeling the car make a gentle turn, and he saved the photo.

Kaiba felt his phone buzz and he picked it up halfheartedly, seeing a simple, one-word message from Yami.

 **Y-Creep:** (thumbs up) thx

Clicking his phone off, Kaiba pushed it aside and pressed his hands into his face, wondering what on earth he was doing.

Why was he helping…no, _encouraging_ , Yami's attempts to court his female alter ego?!

It was starting to go way past joke territory and turning into something that could break their already-fragile relationship.

-  
A week passed uneventfully, and Kaiba was beginning to feel uneasy.

There had been no messages from Yami so far.

That was supposed to be a good thing, so, then why wasn't he feeling as if that was a good thing?

Kaiba absently tapped his phone while sitting at his desk, wondering if he ought to send Yami a follow-up message.

Had Yami visited the florist? He had wanted to see Yami's reaction for when he saw the prices of the bouquets….

"Mr. Kaiba?" There was a soft knock at his office door, and Kaiba sat up straighter.

"Come in."

His secretary bowed into the room, carrying a stack of manila folders which she set down gently at the corner of his desk.

"These are from the lab…"

Her nails were painted red with white polka dots, and a familiar set of tiny red cherries sat delicately on each of her forefingers.

Kaiba stopped listening and his world came to a dead halt.

If he wasn't mistaken, those were _his_ nails.

Was it a coincidence or…?!

"…Mr. Kaiba?" his secretary hastily hid her hands behind her back and bowed stiffly again, apologizing frantically. "I'm sorry. I know you said in your dress code that everything should be formal and business appro—"

"Did you do those yourself?" Kaiba asked, sounding way too accusatory, and he reminded himself to check his tone.

He attempted to smile at her to hide his shock, but found that his face wouldn't cooperate, because she looked slightly offended.

"I—…yes, I did," she said, swallowing visibly and nodding. "If you want me to remove them, I will…"

"No, I want to know why," Kaiba said impatiently. A heightened sense panic was beginning to set in.

He needed to know where she got that design for her nails, now.

"W-Why?" she echoed incredulously, daringly slipping her hands back to her front and gazing down at them, wondering if this was Kaiba's strange way of complimenting her. "I had some time over the weekend. My niece and I love to—"

"No, that's not what I meant," Kaiba talked over her and corrected himself, his mouth growing dry as he gazed at his silent phone on his desk. "Where did you get the idea to paint them like that?"

"Oh, the pattern! You like it?" his secretary relaxed visibly and smiled, splaying her fingers out proudly, now realizing that she wasn't in trouble for breaking dress code. "We followed a tutorial in a magazine!"

"Which…magazine," Kaiba hissed through clenched teeth, desperately racking his brain for the title he had overhead in the café with Yami a week ago.

He couldn't fucking remember because the panic had completely set in now and it was getting hard to breathe.

"Um…ah…it's a little embarrassing." His secretary covered her mouth with her hand and gazed down at the floor. "I'm too old to be reading magazines like that—"

"Give me the magazine title before I fucking fire you," Kaiba seethed, and he pulled his laptop closer, wondering if he searched 'cherry nails,' would he see images of his own hands?

"I-I…I'm sorry! I'll give it to you right now if you want it that badly!" she squeaked, before rushing out of the office and returning quickly with her purse on her arm, rummaging through it as she approached his desk again.

"Here…!" she set a brightly colored magazine down on top of the file folders and Kaiba snatched it up with a shaking hand, studying the cover.

 _'Miss Eighteen'_ was printed boldly in light yellow font, and a smiling young woman wearing a patterned t-shirt beamed up at him.

Bile rose steadily in his throat as he scanned the smaller titles.

 _"How to tell if your crush likes you! [page 18]"_

 _"A fortune teller predicted my future! [page 24]"_

 _"How to give a confession that he will remember [page 28]"_

And at the very bottom:

 _"SPECIAL FEATURE! Miss Eighteen's 'Mystery Angel' has eye-catching style! [page 35]"_

"Mystery. Angel." Kaiba enunciated, and a wave of nausea consumed him, along with horrible sneaking suspicion.

Deaf to his secretary's protests, he turned the pages and found the feature page, almost dropping the magazine in shock.

Beautifully styled photos of his hands delicately cupping the teacup from the café were printed in full size on one page.

An artist had drawn an elegant ribbon across the top, with _Mystery Angel's Nails!_ as the title in cute handwriting.

The photo on the next page was of his hand, lightly grasping the teacup with three fingers.

The background had a wonderful, soft glow, and Kaiba reeled, wondering if Yami was responsible for all of this.

Wow. Just. Wow. Did Yami manage these pictures with just his phone camera?!

The photos were crisp and clear. The edges had been tastefully decorated with little illustrations of cherries and flowers.

Words and phrases like 'cute!', 'stylish!', and 'perfect for a casual date!' were scattered along the border for added effect.

A small block of white text was printed in the empty space underneath his hand:

 _"This week's feature is: Mystery Angel! She will slowly reveal herself through a series of wonderful snapshots. She won't tell us her name just yet, because she is a playful tease~_

 _This week, she is showing us her favorite set of nails. Look at how beautiful and delicate her fingers are_!

 _Miss Angel painted these herself, and encourages everyone to do the same! The pattern is easy and fun! (Tutorial on the next page)_ "

Kaiba wanted to scream and never stop screaming.

"Turn to the next page," his secretary encouraged happily. Forgetting herself for a moment, she reached across the desk and turned the page for Kaiba, pointing at it excited. "Look! It's what you asked about last week, remember?"

Kaiba swallowed thickly, his mouth terribly dry as he gazed down at a photo of his manicured hand again, but this time, gripping his bedazzled phone case.

This photo was also beautifully crisp, with white and pink sparkles edited onto the gems for effect.

"What…am I looking at?" Kaiba breathed, feeling faint.

His secretary thought that Kaiba sounded usually soft-spoken, so she drew confidence from this, speaking excitedly. "It's trendy to decorate your phone case right now!"

The text underneath this photo was simply one sentence in large curly pink font:

 _"Miss Angel thinks that her manicure looks wonderful with her kira kira phone case!"_

And after scanning every inch of the photo, Kaiba spied tiny text at the bottom corner of the page:

 _Photographed and trademarked by: ATEM_

Trademarked.  
Wow. Just wow.

He remembered nodding when Yami asked if he could "have" the photos, and now, they really were his!

"Well? What do you think?" his secretary pressed, noticing how Kaiba's fingertips had whitened over the magazine. "Do you like it? This mystery girl has good taste for colored crystals."

Kaiba grit his teeth, remembering he had locked the bedazzled phone in his nightstand drawer and forgotten about it.

It was no wonder he hadn't heard from Yami in a week. It was his own damn fault!

There was a long silence, and she fidgeted nervously, shifting her purse onto her other shoulder, waiting for Kaiba's reaction.

The CEO had his head dipped down so low, his brown bangs hid his eyes, and as the silence grew, so did her concern.

"Mr. Kaiba?"

Kaiba slowly closed the magazine and placed it back on his desk, trying to stem the mixture of emotions churning inside him.

He felt incredibly flattered…but it was fucked up!

"Fucking great," Kaiba muttered, hearing his secretary let out a relieved laugh.

"I think it's great too!" she said, reaching to take the magazine back, and Kaiba slapped his hand down on it fiercely, hissing, "I'm confiscating this for now."

"Ah…oh," she blinked, and bowed happily once more, beaming. "I don't mind. You can have it! I'm done with it already. I always read the new issues with my niece anyway."

"Right," Kaiba breathed, on the brink of delirium, and his mind was spinning with a thousand questions. "What exactly is…'Miss Eighteen'?! And why is the feature girl a mystery? Who the fuck cares?!"

"I don't know why this month's girl is a mystery," his secretary said seriously, pressing a hand to her chin looking thoughtful. "I had the same question too. I think the mystery just adds to the allure!"

"Allure." Kaiba repeated dully, understanding that Yami was now using Kumi as…bait?

"Yes," his secretary nodded, flushing slightly. "Miss Eighteen is, well to me, it's a very wholesome fashion magazine."

"What?" Kaiba's eyes widened, and wondered if he was going crazy. Yami acted like a huge pervert, and he wanted photos for a _wholesome_ magazine?!

Given the way Yami had chased after him during their past few encounters, he thought Yami was after lewd underwear photos.

"They give tips on makeup, love, and how to style your hair," his secretary listed quickly, sounding as if she was enjoying the conversation very much. "And the Feature Girl is usually very ad-friendly. You know the sparkling water girl? Miyo-chan? She was previously a Miss Eighteen Feature Girl!"

"Oh my god…." Kaiba curled his fingers into his palm, his anxiety rising quickly.

That sparkling water girl's ads were everywhere. Her face was on a new billboard every week!

Yami did that?

"Yeah!" his secretary said happily, pleased to see that Kaiba was amazed by this information, so she talked fast, eager to stay on this topic.

"Miss Eighteen has a really good streak with jet-setting their Feature Girls to fame. It's a dream for many girls. My niece thinks it's the scout who does all the work, but the girls have personality…and that's what sells."

"It could be…fake?" Kaiba cried, grabbing the magazine again and flipping it open, his heart threatening to explode out of his chest. "How would you know if _Miss Angel_ wrote any of this?"

His secretary gave him an amused look, and Kaiba pressed the magazine closed deliberately, looking her in the eye. "What!?"

"I'll bring you next week's magazine," his secretary said softly, smiling warmly at him. "And if you want, I'll even bring previous editions for you too. You don't have to be embarrassed about showing interest, Mr. Kaiba."

"I…am not…interested," Kaiba replied through gritted teeth, but his secretary didn't hear him because she had already walked out the door, giving him a playful wave over her shoulder.

Breathing heavily, Kaiba stood slowly and hung his head, feeling his shoulders ache.

Oh fuck. This was horrible and dangerous.

This was the magazine that Yami photographed for…it was for girls.

It featured girls, for other girls. There were now pictures of a _man's hand_ in their main spread! Sure, it was only hands, and men hand-modeled products all the time…. but the feature's accent was on the nails!

And now hundreds of young girls and women were…copying his nail style?!

The thought was making Kaiba nauseous, and he had to sit down.

He needed coffee.  
He needed a nap.  
He needed a whole new reality.

No, what he needed, was to get into contact with Yami, to tell him to fucking _stop._

Yami sighed, throwing his head down in his arms on his desk and shutting his eyes tightly.

He had just come out of a meeting with his manager, and had been roundly scolded for losing contact with Kumi.

His phone buzzed in his pocket.

Everyone loved the idea of a mystery girl, and had been relying on him to come up with more photos of Kumi, but he had failed.

Kumi had been silent for an entire week since the publication of her hand photos, and he was growing concerned.

His phone buzzed in his pocket again.

Did she not like them? Were they that bad?

He had taken them on his phone camera after all, but he had tried really hard!

He had sent her several texts asking if she was fine, but had received no response.

If she didn't like it, she could've said something, because the deadline for next week's spread had already passed, and he had nothing to show for it.

A tiny voice in the back of his head was telling him he had screwed it up after kissing her badly during their last date.

 _The only date I will ever have with her_ , Yami thought miserably, flicking a stray sticky-note across his desk.

He was supposed to be outside right now, in this wonderful cloudy weather, photographing a beauty, but instead, he had managed to earn himself an eternal cold shoulder.

His phone buzzed again and again, so he yanked it out glumly, his vision blurring when he saw the name popping up on his screen.

 **Angel:** HI. WHAT THE FUCK

 **Angel:** I just saw the pics you took? Did you edit them like that?

 _Yes, yes I did!_ Yami thought proudly, his fingers flying across his screen.

Kaiba held his phone in front of his face, breathless and waiting for a reply.

 **[unknown number]:** THANK YOU FOR REPLYING TO ME KUMI-SAN!

 _Time to save your number I guess_ , Kaiba thought tiredly, saving the number as 'Yami'.

 **Yami:** Let's meet again?! Please?  
 **Yami:** please forgive me! let me apologize to you in person!  
 **Yami:** when can we meet again?

 **Angel:** … ok hold on.

 **Angel:** MYSTERY ANGEL ….SERIOUSLY?!

 **Yami:** yes, I figured you didn't want to disclose your name or your face

 **Yami:** everyone was very excited about the concept

 **Yami:** and this week I was hung out to dry.

Kaiba frowned, wondering what Yami meant by this.

 **Yami:** I didn't get to see your face at all, and had no photos to give to my manager or team. Understandable. You are still mad at me.

 _Right right_ , Kaiba thought dryly, sitting down on the edge of his bed, sighing.

Yami held his breath and gripped his phone tightly, praying that she would agree to meet up again.

His manager walked by his desk and gave him a strange look.

"The girl has replied to me," Yami said breathlessly.

His manager's face lit up and his brows knitted together sternly, "Well, don't let her slip away again. If her hands are that pretty, her face must be as pretty as you say."

"She is, I assure you," Yami replied hastily, pleased to see more texts from Kumi popping up on his screen. He grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair and headed to the elevators, his heart soaring.

 **Angel:** my friend showed me ur magazine today

 **Angel:** I can't believe you do this as work. U get paid for this?!

 **Angel:** who wrote those paragraphs by the way?!

 **Angel:** "mystery angel loves to go on coffee dates with this manicure"?!

 **Angel:** ?! the fuck? no I don't.

And Kaiba lay back against his comforter, wondering why Yami was taking so long to reply, and after a while, a long block of text popped up.

 **Yami:** kumi-san, I apologize for not explaining it to you better. Usually there'd be a contract in front of us before any photos go up, but our date had a…bad end. So, if you'd like to look over the contract with me, please come outside today!

 _Oh my god, please shut up about a fucking contract_! Kaiba groaned, tapping his screen furiously.

 **Angel:** NO I am NOT signing a contract omg

 **Angel:** how many times do I have to say that

But Yami wasn't done sending blocks of text.

 **Yami:** Since you didn't sign, someone on our team put those paragraphs together based on what I told them about you. Not much is known about you, hence 'mystery' see?

 **Angel:** don't talk to me like im stupid

 **Yami:** PLEASE angel, im trying to explain! Normally YOU would write those paragraphs, and you can say whatever you want! You can even say you love cursing fluently!  
You are a stylish and sophisticated beauty bound to attract many fans!

You have a good eye for color and style!  
Our magazine is a great platform for you to showcase how good natured you are!

 **Angel:** omg are you pitching me rn? I said i don't wanna sign with u

 **Angel** : and stop spewing lies. I'm not good natured.

 **Yami:** fine! You are sassy! Blunt honesty is your strength! You are strong headed and many look up to you as a leader! ? is that true?

 **Yami:** Please please come meet me at Domino Park?

 **Yami:** I will be there in 30 mins!

 **Yami:** what do your nails look like today? Or maybe we can

 **Yami:** showcase your eye makeup? Or Shoes? I know you like shoes!

 **Yami:** the sun is going down soon, please? Park, only 30 mins?

 _Today?!_ Kaiba groaned. He was exhausted! He didn't have energy left to spare on hair and makeup.

 **Angel:** no. im tired today.

 **Yami:** angel…PLEASE! Please? I will buy you dinner at your favorite restaurant?

 **Angel** : no. not hungry.

 **Yami:** …omg (crying face)

 **Angel:** bye. Don't text me until tomorrow (wave)

 **Yami:** wait, angel please. Im really sorry for the way I

Kaiba held the power button and turned the phone off completely before shutting his eyes. His eyelids hurt from exhaustion.

Yami was almost cute when he sounded that desperate.

Rolling over in his bed, Kaiba drifted off into a light slumber.

* * *

 **Author's note:**

How did you like that chapter? :D leave a comment! Even if its just a smiley face, I want an excuse to check my email ! (mainly so that **it will bury the fact that my grades are being posted** aaaaaaahahahahaaaaaaaaaaa)

Edited by the wonderful SETOKAIBAES

READ MY STORIES ON AO3, where im also writing as PRETTIUGLI, for linked fanart inside the chapters! This site doesn't allow additional media to be posted (shakes fist)

Hugs,

Ugli (links that dont work on this site: tip jar - twitter - tumblr - patree0n - dreamwidth)


	7. everything I eat has no flavor

Kaiba carefully checked his makeup in the car visor's mirror before snapping it back up and leaning back into his seat, sighing.

He had been extra careful with all the details in his outfit, knowing that Yami was going to be scrutinizing him.

Slowly climbing out of the car, he nudged the door shut.

Taking a deep breath and glancing down at his outfit, Kaiba thought he looked too dressed down.

It was fine. If he kept showing up with outfits that looked too polished, he knew Yami would start getting suspicious.

If he wanted to appear "normal", he needed to have a casual-outfit day.

He pressed the keys to his car and heard it lock with a loud blip, and he set off down the sidewalk, feeling oddly like himself, even though he was wearing a full face of makeup and hair extensions.

Yami was sitting on a bench in the park with his camera slung on his shoulder and phone in hand.

Nervous, he tapped his foot on the ground, feeling oddly pent up.

His mind was filled with thoughts of kissing her, but for some annoying reason, he couldn't shake the feeling of Kaiba's lips on his own, so Yami figured that all he had to do was kiss Kumi, and the feeling would go away soon.

He saw a tall figure walk through the park's main gates, and he leapt eagerly to his feet, waving at her.

She waved back shyly, and a calm wave of relief washed over him.

Good, she didn't look like she was still angry with him.

Yami stared at her approaching silhouette and realized she wasn't wearing her usual pressed, stylish clothes, but something casual today!

From what he could see, it was a pair of form-fitting athletic pants, and a matching jacket with a fluffy hood lined with down. Her coat was unzipped, and the front ends of it hung past her thighs, and Yami blinked rapidly, suddenly seeing an image of Seto Kaiba's silhouette of his flowing trench coat overlaid with her jacket.

He mentally slapped himself.  
She was wearing a long jacket.  
That didn't make her Seto Kaiba.

Yes, they were both tall…and…attractive, but Kumi was definitely prettier.

Yami blinked and waved again for lack of something to do, seeing her hurry towards him with long strides.

She wasn't wearing heels today either!

Kaiba felt very comfortable in his own skin. He finally reached the bench where Yami was, and he risked a smile, brushing a stray strand of hair out of his face.  
Almost as if the wind was retaliating spitefully, the strand of hair was whipped back across his lips and it caught on his lipstick.

Cursing internally, Kaiba tucked it behind his ear and willed himself to keep it together. The one fucking annoying thing about this hair was that he found himself constantly eating it.

Yami noticed this and laughed heartily. "Have you ever considered a short hairstyle, Kumi-san? You have a good face for it!"

Kaiba narrowed his eyes at Yami and shook his head tightly.  
Was this guy being fucking serious?  
The shorter his hair, the more recognizable he would be!

Yami wasn't finished giving his opinion. "I think a bobbed style would look good on you. Or maybe even a pixie cut? You'd look like a cute tomboy."

Kaiba tucked his tongue in his cheek and smiled sweetly.  
Yep. Totally.  
A tomboy.  
Or maybe, just, a boy.

The wind gave his hair another rough tussle, and Kaiba lost his patience.

He sat down on the bench and swept his hair forwards, wrestling it into a braid.  
Goddamn this wind.  
He had spent an hour straightening and fixing this hair when he should've braided it from the start.  
Another lesson learned.

"Wait! Don't do it so quickly," Yami said excitedly, shrugging his camera off his shoulder and holding it tentatively up to his face. "May I?"

Kaiba paused for a moment before nodding stiffly, gently pulling the sections of hair slowly through his fingers while the shutter clicked softly in front of him.

Weird. This was too fucking weird.

He didn't feel as if he was sitting under a magnifying glass, but Yami had gone completely silent and was no longer talking, or even looking at him.

Instead, Yami would click the shutter, and then pull the camera away from his face to glance down at it before holding it up again.

After a few moments, Kaiba finished the braid and reached for an elastic tie in his purse, and Yami spoke up, "Do you have another hairstyle you like to wear? Maybe another braided style?"

Kaiba raised his head up to gaze witheringly up at Yami.  
Oh fuck, was Yami expecting him to do other braided styles? Right, of course _._

 _"A wholesome fashion, love, and hairstyle magazine"_ was what his secretary had said.

"…No?" Yami said, lowering his camera and sounding slightly disappointed. "You enjoy simple hairstyles?"

Somehow Yami doubted that, but he filed that preference away for later in case the editing team came nosing around him for information about Kumi.

 _Well give me a fucking second_ , Kaiba growled, slipping his phone out of his purse and quickly searching up images and techniques on how to differently braid hair.

Yami sat down beside her and watched her scroll through her phone silently, looking at images of hair.

Odd. Was she looking for inspiration?

"Can I help you with anything?" Yami asked nervously, his palms sweating on the grip of his camera, and he lowered his gaze.

Unable to help himself, he stared at her breasts.

They were small and perky.

Her shirt had a thin strip of mesh around the collar and he could see a black bra strap peeking tastefully out from underneath it.

 _Ah…damn_ , Yami thought darkly, turning his head away quickly, his cheeks reddening.

Kaiba noticed this and tapped away from the images of hair, hastily typing out a message for Yami to read.

 _"Close your mouth when you gape. Stare all you want, but touch with your eyes only (smile)"_

Yami turned his head away quickly, blushing with embarrassment. "I didn't…I wasn't…." His voice trailed off uncharacteristically, and Kaiba bit back a laugh.

Kaiba kept the phone balanced on his lap while he followed a guide on how to plait a reverse fishtail braid, and felt Yami shift nervously beside him.

"Your nails are pretty today too," Yami commented, eying the neat black and white checkered pattern. He slowly raised his camera. "I'm going to photograph you doing your braid…okay?"

She ignored him, and Yami's anxiety rose.

"Kumi-san," Yami said quietly, his finger itching on the shutter button. "I need you to say 'yes'. I can't work with you if you don't want to have your picture taken."

Kaiba sniffed and rolled his eyes. This was just _work_ to Yami. Being reminded of that was irritating, so he left the braid undone and snatched his phone up, quickly writing:

 _"where are my flowers?! I thought you promised me flowers and an apology?"_

Yami blinked and began to sweat, slightly taken aback by her sudden forwardness.

"I'm sorry…" Yami said slowly, fixating his gaze on her phone case which was surprisingly plain today. "I'm planning on giving you flowers and an apology properly. Could you wait for me to gather my thoughts?"

 _No,_ Kaiba thought angrily, typing his answer out quickly.

 _"Are you kidding me? It's been a week! And you wonder why I don't wanna come out to meet you._

 _You promise, and then underdeliver. (anger emoji)_

 _I changed my mind. I don't want you as a boyfriend anymore._

 _Put the camera away, I'm leaving."_

"Boyfriend?!" Yami said incredulously, a little too loudly, and Kaiba winced, snatching his phone out of Yami's hands. "Kumi-san…you don't mean that, do you?"

 _I just fucking said it, didn't I?_ Kaiba growled to himself, grinding his teeth and letting his anger show on his face.

He tossed the messy half-done braid over his shoulder and pulled his purse onto his lap, showing Yami the two Duel Monster charms he had hung on the zipper pulls.

"Oh!" Yami exclaimed, gazing at the Kuriboh charm, feeling oddly touched. "You did that? Let me take a photo!" and the camera hid his face once more.

Annoyed, Kaiba jerked the purse out of Yami's view and crossed his legs tightly.

These meetings were getting…too serious. He couldn't put his finger on it, but it seemed that Yami's original interest in him was waning.

Now, it just felt like he was being treated like an interesting subject to photograph.

He wanted Yami to blush and act horny in front of him.

That was what made this fun. For some reason, Yami seemed more composed now, and was all business when a camera was in his hand.

"What's bothering you?" Yami asked curiously, watching her face darken suddenly and she turned away, shaking out her braid angrily. "No…no wait, don't do that! We weren't finished!"

Sighing, Yami leaned back against the bench, understanding that Kumi had a mind of her own and was going to be a difficult person to work with if her demands weren't met first.

 _Very similar to someone I know_. Yami glowered, keeping his anger in check and carefully placing the cap on the camera lens.

"Fine, we'll do what you want first," Yami said encouragingly, and Kaiba felt his eyelid twitch.

The thing he wanted to do first was kiss, so he reached out to cup Yami's face in his hands, and he dipped forward quickly to press his lips tightly against Yami's slightly parted ones, and felt Yami stiffen and gasp.

Yami blinked rapidly, his stomach swooping with a mixture of happiness and confusion. Oh, she wanted to kiss? Well, it was good thing he had learned a new trick last week…but her tongue was pressing tightly against the front of his teeth and it was causing him to panic.

Kaiba felt Yami jerk back violently and press the back of his hand to his mouth, his angular violet eyes wide with shock.

"I-I don't want to mess up your makeup," Yami said in a rush, and he saw her expression darken.

Kaiba ground his teeth, his lips burning at the sudden loss of contact, and he felt himself grow aroused. Yami was always so damn feisty, it gave him the impression that he'd be fun to push down….

"How about this…" Yami set his camera down in his lap and reached for her hands, taking them in his and giving them a warm squeeze, feeling his heart ache strangely. "Let's work together. We can go on a proper date after I take your photos for this week."

Kaiba yanked his hands out of Yami's grasp and swung his purse over his shoulder, intent on leaving. Never fucking mind. This wasn't fun anymore.

"Or…how about we go on a date first," Yami said desperately, his eyes following her slender legs as she rose to her feet and gave him a defiant look over her shoulder.

"I'll take you on a nice date today, and in return, you let me photograph you," Yami rushed after her and spoke with confidence. "This way we can get to know each other better."

Kaiba narrowed his eyes at Yami, wondering if this was worth staying for.

"Look, I already tried asking you out many times before," Yami said cleverly, his tongue twisting with a lie. "This is the place where we first met! This place is significant to me, which is why I want to take photos of you here."

Would it work?

Kaiba tensed and realized he was being played, but he complied begrudgingly and sat back down on the bench.

Yami sighed with relief and eased himself down beside her, watching her place her phone in her lap and sweep her hair to the front again to resume braiding it.

Kaiba mindlessly followed the hair chart's instructions, his blood boiling.

He hadn't planned for the situation to pan out this way. It was turning out to be a two-way street instead of the usual one-way street he was accustomed to.

He wanted Yami to act like a fool on a date, but Yami wanted photos of his hands, and so it had become bargaining dates, for photos.

 _What have I become?_ Kaiba thought mirthlessly to himself, hearing Yami ask him to slow down again, but he ignored him.

The faster he finished this shit, the faster he could embarrass Yami, and then use the information to embarrass him further when they met again when he was dressed as himself.

Yami lowered the camera and watched in awe as she followed the hair tutorial quickly and with accuracy. Was this a style she did often? It was a pretty braid….

Kaiba held the tip of his hair down and gave Yami an appraising look. _Done. Photograph this now._

As if reading his mind, Yami raised the camera and clicked the shutter several times before lowering it with an admiring smile.

"Wow, Kumi-san, you're really well-versed in complicated braids," Yami commented, and Kaiba rolled his eyes. It was just following pictures on how to section hair, and then how to weave it all together.

Was this supposed to be hard?

"Put your purse on your lap," Yami said gently, raising his camera again. "Then lean down over it and let your hair fall beside it. Don't worry, I won't get your face."

Kaiba bit back a sigh and complied, leaning forward over his purse and turning his head to the side, feeling the braid coming undone the more he moved, but Yami didn't seem to mind.

"I'm sorry to ask you this but…" Yami's voice trailed off as he glanced down at his camera and went silent.

 _What?! What?!_ _Just fucking say it!_ Kaiba thought angrily, hating how soft-spoken Yami became when he was embarrassed. He was more accustomed to the shouty, angry Yami on the dueling arena.

"Do you have another purse that isn't this…expensive?" Yami asked, realizing he didn't have a good way of saying it. "I know you like your high-end brands, but we need to appear relatable."

 _When the fuck have I ever been a relatable person?!_ Kaiba raged privately, and he shook his head tightly, watching Yami gaze longingly into his face before looking away quickly.

"Let's get you a purse that suits your style, but doesn't have a brand logo on it," Yami said decidedly, rising to his feet and offering her his hand. "You can hate it if you want. I'll buy it for you."

 _Why?_ Kaiba thought wildly, and he shook his head stubbornly. _Fuck no._

"I'm…taking you on a shopping date," Yami said carefully, understanding that he had to be sly and clever with his words to get her to cooperate. "And if I can speak bluntly, Kumi-san, we can't feature any big-name brands in our magazine without their consent."

 _Oh_ , Kaiba thought darkly, standing slowly and turning away from Yami to walk down the park path without him.

He was beginning to understand now.

Since it was a wholesome magazine for young girls, everything in it needed to be tasteful and affordable, easy to replicate, but at first glance would look nice.

"Wait…wait up!" Yami panted, half-jogging to keep up with her impossibly long strides, and his heart sank when she continued to ignore him.

 _Like my secretary's shoes,_ Kaiba mused, recalling how he had felt when he saw the price tag of the shoes compared to when he had seen them on her feet.

He needed to find accessories that gave off that type of effect.

 _Back to the shopping center…again_ , Kaiba growled to himself, feeling Yami stick closely at his side after having caught up, his cheeks tinted a wonderful pink.

"Kumi-san…" Yami said, gazing adoringly up at her, and Kaiba felt his stomach turn. "I like that you're not wearing heels today. May I ask how tall you are without them?"

Kaiba paused in his step and gave Yami a meaningful look before slipping his phone out and typing out his answer.

Yami accepted the phone from her with both hands and stared at the number on the screen.

 **186 cm.**

That was…impossibly tall! Actually, wasn't that about Kaiba's height?

"A-Amazing," Yami said, and his voice shook. Her phone case had also changed from the flashy crystals, to a thin, utilitarian silver border with a steel metal backing.

"This is a nice case too," Yami commented, intent on conveying to her that he appreciated this case a lot more than the glittery one. "Where did you get it?"

Kaiba froze, reaching to grab it from Yami's hand, but was too late.

Yami flipped the phone over in his hand and stared blankly at the tiny pattern of KC logos engraved along the back.

Oh.

A Kaiba Corporation phone case?

He had thought it was another high-end brand given the pattern, but at closer look, it had been tastefully done!

…Kaiba made phone cases?!

Kaiba snatched his phone back and eyed Yami cautiously, noting that his eyes were wide with shock. Ah, shit.

"I didn't know Kaiba made phone cases!" Yami said nervously, his hands heating up strangely. "That's a really pretty one. Where did you get it?"

 _Myself,_ Kaiba thought arrogantly, knowing that many companies had tried to use his logo to sell phone cases, but he had successfully sent them cease and desist letters and was now working on his own design.

He continued walking, and Yami circled around him breathlessly, walking backwards in front of him, looking excited.

"No, really, I want one," Yami insisted, almost running into a passerby walking the other way. "Did you get it online? Is it sturdy? Can we take a photo of it? A sponsorship with Kaiba Corporation would do us good! I'm sure if I asked, he would agree."

 _So if it's not using me for photos, it's using me for promotional gain,_ Kaiba thought mildly, feeling slightly flattered.

It was a nice reminder that Yami was really nothing without him.

They approached a busy crossing and Kaiba felt a warm hand on his arm. It took all of his effort not to react and to keep ignoring Yami.

"I'm not close friends with Kaiba," Yami mused aloud, and Kaiba tensed upon hearing this. "Sometimes we're not even on speaking terms."

Right. They weren't close friends. In fact, they weren't anything….

The crossing light turned green and Kaiba let Yami lead him across the street by the hand. His heart fluttered every time Yami's fingers gave his hand a warm squeeze.

This was …nice?

Feeling conflicted, Kaiba slowed his pace and glanced down at their hands, his stomach churning with emotion, wondering if he would feel differently about this if he was dressed as himself.

But he was already dressed down in the most comfortable outfit yet, and he felt very much like himself today.

Yami enjoyed the way Kumi was obediently following him without jerking her hand away. He felt light as a feather, almost as if he was walking on air.

They entered the shopping complex at the ground floor and Kaiba did his best to keep the distaste from showing on his face when they passed by store after store displaying mannequins wearing pink pastel clothes.

To his relief, Yami seemed to be ignoring those stores. What's more, he seemed to be moving about the complex with ease, almost as if he had been here…many times before, probably with other girls.

Kaiba grit his teeth and felt an alien surge of rage bubble low in his chest. He swallowed it forcefully, aiming to keep his expression pleasant when he caught several admiring looks from other women walking by.

A woman on the arm of her boyfriend stared straight at him for a full second before looking away, her ears red.

Mildly pleased with the attention, Kaiba made sure to keep up with Yami's steady pace, and before long, he found himself standing in front of a store with sleek, sophisticated handbags in the windows.

 _So he does have taste_ , Kaiba thought, satisfied.

Yami pulled him into the store and they were bowed in by the sales lady, whose cheeks reddened noticeably after they brushed past her.

Yami let go of Kumi's hand and circled the main display, eyeing the delicate potted plants arranged artistically beside a white leather handbag with a red strap.

This struck him as a bag Kumi would carry…what did she think?

Kaiba wasn't paying attention to where Yami had went. He had fixated on the sister bag–black leather with a red strap, and he felt the saleswoman approach him from behind, giggling softly.

"You have nice taste…" she said blithely before whispering, _"…for a man."_

Kaiba shoved his hand into his pocket and curled it into a fist, his blood running cold while his heart raced painfully in his chest.

He turned around slowly, willing his face to remain impassive, expecting to see the saleswoman, but instead, it was a very beautiful girl with light brown hair, and large almond eyes.

She was nose-to-nose with him in terms of height, and Kaiba bit the tip of his tongue lightly, wondering why the cold pit of dread kept getting heavier and heavier in his stomach.

She looked very familiar.  
Why did she look familiar?

She raised her eyebrows at him and tilted her head to the side, waving a hand across her nose as if something reeked beneath them. "Don't worry, I'm only—oh, Atem!"

Her expression changed instantly, and she darted forward to grab Yami's hands in both of hers, and Kaiba stared at the tips of her pink nails with sinking horror and realization…that this was one of Yami's ex-models.

"Oh," she said, straightening up taller and glancing quickly between the Yami and the man dressed as a woman behind her. "…Atem…is this your newest venture?"

"Miyo-chan!" Yami blinked, very taken aback by her sudden friendliness, and his ears burned strangely at the way she had addressed Kumi…as his "newest venture".

Kaiba's panic rose quickly when he realized she could say anything, and it would give him away instantly.

"How are you doing these days? Are they treating you well?" Yami asked anxiously, acutely aware of Kumi's rage. He could practically feel the hatred emanating from her.

"Yes!" She cried happily, giving her hair a playful twirl, throwing Kaiba glance behind her shoulder before she turned back to answer Yami. "I'm working hard, and it's all thanks to you! Are you watching all my commercials?!"

 _Commercials?_ Kaiba reeled privately, wondering if he could slowly back out of the store and make a run for it.

Which would be more humiliating: disappearing before this woman exposed him, or standing there while she openly told Yami about it?

"I've seen them on TV so often, I can recite it by heart," Yami replied earnestly, and Kaiba felt his stomach curl at the way she covered her mouth to laugh demurely.

He watched her press a hand to her face and smile brightly, causing his stomach to churn even more when he recognized this pose.

"Drink, Happy Limon!" she exclaimed in English with robotic precision, and Kaiba felt his intestines curl even more violently when he saw Yami beaming proudly at this performance.

She was 'the sparkling water girl'.

The fucking sparkling water girl; darling of the media.  
Of course, that was why she looked familiar.

Her face was on a large billboard a few blocks away from his skyscraper, blocking his fucking view of the sunset every day.

This woman was vile.

Lost in his own thoughts, Kaiba missed what she had said to Yami.

Yami was talking animatedly, his cheeks flushed with excitement, "…she's shy, and refuses to sign with me. Maybe you can convince her? She reminds me a lot of you!"

Kaiba was unable to move, rooted to the spot with horror as he watched her throw her head back and let out an incredulous laugh, looking deeply offended.

"Oh, Atem, I don't know about our similarities, but I think I might be able to help you out somehow. After all, you've been nothing but a huge help to me…"

 _Two-faced, money-hungry, blood-sucking…_ Kaiba turned the corners of his mouth upwards into a smile while he rained insults at her in his mind.

"Would you, please? That would make things so much easier for me," Yami said, looking deeply relieved, and Kaiba tensed, wondering what was happening.

"You're _already_ welcome, Atem," she said warmly, and she turned around to face Kumi, smiling sweetly at him with venom in her eyes as she slinked her arm through his elbow. "Come with me…Kumi-san."

 _Gladly_ , Kaiba seethed, letting her steer him out of the store and towards the escalators.

Her grip on his arm was vice-like as they traveled down the escalators with the crowd, and it was causing his arm to grow numb.

Kaiba felt her lean in close by his ear, whispering, _"We'll step outside…of the building. Don't fight me, or I'll scream."_

Kaiba tucked his tongue between his teeth and bit down lightly in attempt to keep himself from cursing at her.

They walked to the front doors casually, side-by-side, her hip occasionally bumping into his, and Kaiba felt his cheeks burn with fury and humiliation.

"This way…" she sang lightly, pushing the door open for them and leading them down the street.

It was getting dark, and the cool night air stung Kaiba's cheeks terribly with every step they took farther away from the glittering shopping complex.

The crossed one more city block before her demeanor changed completely, and she pulled him aside into a tiny restaurant alley.

The clamor and noise from the kitchen echoed harshly in the tiny space around them.

"Here is fine," she said coldly, releasing his arm and folding her arms across her chest, giving him a full appraising look from head to toe, her almond eyes narrowed into threatening slits.

"What are you doing?" she asked, tapping her foot impatiently. "Well? I don't have all day. I'm standing in a garbage-filled street, doing Atem a favor. Speak."

Kaiba clenched his teeth tightly and willed himself to remain silent. If there was one thing he had left, it wasn't his dignity…it was his identity as Seto Kaiba, and speaking would instantly give him away.

"Right. Don't speak then," she said poisonously, smiling thinly and flashing her impossibly white teeth at him. "I know your trick. You didn't even bother to conceal yourself here," she pointed at her own, slender neck with a manicured finger and Kaiba felt his stomach drop violently to his feet.

"Do everyone a favor, and stop wasting his time," she said, her eyes darting up and down his face, picking his appearance apart piece by piece. "Look at you, you still look like a man underneath all that makeup."

Very close to snapping, Kaiba let his gaze wander to the left, fixating on the empty street beside them, and he heard her hiss at him, sounding very hostile.

"Hey! Look at me when I'm talking to you," she said coldly. "Do you think this is funny? Or a game? Or are you trying to prove something to yourself? Either way…"

She took a threatening step closer towards him, "…if I see your face on any magazine, I won't hesitate to let everyone know…that you are a man."

 _Don't fucking care,_ Kaiba thought furiously, and he gave her a contemptuous look.

"No? Don't care?" she said, reading his expression accurately.

There was a long pause before her face darkened even further. "I see. You're doing this for your own ego, because you take great pleasure in fooling Atem. That's why you don't want to sign with him."

 _Shit_ , _she figured me out,_ Kaiba thought dryly, wondering if it would be considered harassment if he gave her a rough shove so he could escape this conversation.

"If you won't tell him, I will." She said loftily, throwing her hair over her shoulder and giving him a hateful glare. "Atem works hard. The least you could do is tell him the truth."

 _No._ Kaiba raged, holding up his hand and giving her a solid middle finger.

She ignored him, pressing on relentlessly, "Were you born a man? Are those real?"

Kaiba blinked and realized she was talking about his breasts. Well no, of course not.

"You're going to tell him the second we get back," she insisted, and Kaiba saw her tense angrily. "Honestly, are you mute, or are you refusing to talk?"

Sliding his phone slowly out of his purse, Kaiba typed out a message for her to read and held it out for her to see.

 _"I am quite proud of the man I am underneath. Fuck off. You don't understand my business with ATEM."_

"How disgusting," she said plainly, taking a step back and raking her gaze up and down his body once more. "So you're doing this because it's a fetish, not because you want to be a woman."

 _Wrong,_ Kaiba replied savagely in his head, and he began writing another message, but his phone was snatched out of his hands and thrown down on the ground, and he heard it hit the cement with a sickening crack.

"Men like you…disgust me," she hissed, deliberately stepping on his phone further, almost feeling it slip beneath her heel. "Get lost."

Kaiba bit the inside of his lip and finally snapped. He lunged forward to give her a shove, but her hands came for his hair and tugged painfully while she jeered, "Oh my god, you're really going to fight me right now! This is hilarious!"

His eyes watering, Kaiba forced himself to freeze, realizing if she yanked any harder, she would take a chunk of his real hair with the extensions attached. A bald spot at the back of his head would be hard to explain.

"Oh…pathetic…" she cooed, her hand tightening even further.

Kaiba brought his hands up to dig his nails into the backs of her hand. He could practically hear his hair ripping out slowly by the roots while she taunted him. " _Speak,_ you ugly bitch!"

Kaiba bit the inside of his cheek, determined not to speak. Her knee came for his groin and knocked the wind out of him, sending a violent jolt of pain up and down his legs and stomach, causing his vision to turn green.

Gasping for breath, his knees weakened instantly when she gave him a vicious shove against the wall, finally letting go of his hair and stepping back swiftly out of his reach.

"You'll always be a man underneath," she said nastily, walking out of the alleyway quickly, her voice fading. "Don't come near Atem again. He'll no longer be interested once he finds out."

The sound of her heels against the cement faded, and Kaiba slid lower against the wall, his groin still throbbing, his eyes burning with a terrible pressure as he stared intently at his silver phone lying face down on the ground before him.

He had never been so humiliated before in his life.

Publicly losing to Yami repeatedly was nothing compared to how he felt right now.

Was she insulting him because he was a man, or was she offended because he still looked like a man underneath all the makeup?

Shoving the thought out of his mind, Kaiba composed himself slowly, deciding to feel confused later, and letting a more familiar emotion, anger, help him to his feet.

"Oh, a girl…." A man's voice sounding surprised echoed down the alleyway, and Kaiba tensed.

He staggered against the wall, his legs still weak, and he cursed internally.

"Hey…are you okay?" the man called, sounding a bit far away, and Kaiba took slow, even breaths, willing himself to keep it together.  
Another leery old man.  
Fuck off. Fuck. Off.  
Why was the world working against him today?  
Maybe it was just one of those days, and he briefly wondered what he looked like to this man.

Probably a huge mess…with disheveled hair, crumpled clothing, purse on the ground with its contents spilling out, and his phone, face down in a shallow puddle of filth.

"Uh…um…Miss?"

Kaiba heard the man stammer nervously and there was another shout echoing through the alleyway, this time coming from the noisy kitchen that had had its door opened.

 _"Kojima senpaiiiii! We need more spicy miso paste!"_

"Shut up!" the man called back, sounding agitated. "I'm smoking! Get it yourself!"

The pain finally faded to a dull ache, and Kaiba bent down carefully to pick up his phone with two fingers and letting the water drip off of the edges,. He gingerly turned it over in his hands, seeing a spiderweb cracks forming at the bottom left corner.

The screen was flickering pitifully from it rough impact with the ground and Kaiba cursed her in his mind again.

The door swung shut with a sharp click, and the roaring noise echoing from the kitchen was immediately silenced.

Kaiba kept his eyes on the ground, hearing soft footsteps approaching him, and a black dishtowel appeared in his vision.

"H-Here," the man said awkwardly, shaking visibly as he held the towel in his outstretched hand. "For your phone."

A kind stranger?

Kaiba grit his teeth and considered standing up quickly to punch the man in the face, but he saw the dishtowel tremble under his nose again, so he decided against it.

He tossed his broken phone onto the towel's surface and let the man wipe it clean for him, keeping a respectable distance away before handing it back to him.

Kaiba noticed the man had an oil-stained sleeve.  
This guy was another filthy creep.

"Need to use our phone?" the man asked kindly, handing the phone back, and Kaiba slowly straightened up to his full height, pleased to see that he was indeed taller than this man.

The man gasped and took two frantic steps back, his mouth opening and closing like a drowning fish. He was wearing a chef's uniform and a face mask hung off of one ear.

Kaiba gave him a cold look, taking in his messy black hair tied back into a ponytail hidden underneath a hairnet and his slightly muscular build.

Kaiba bent down to pick up his purse, and heard the man speak up quietly again. "Um…let me treat you to a hot meal. C-Care to come in? You can use our phone."

 _Luring me in with free food_ , Kaiba thought icily, but his stomach grumbled in response. He shook his head and turned his gaze towards the mouth of the alleyway, hearing the man take a visible step back behind him.

"Please let me help," he said kindly, his voice shaking. "W-Were you just assaulted? I heard…something out here, so I…decided to check."

 _I was assaulted by a woman,_ Kaiba thought viciously to himself, slowly lifting his purse up to his shoulder and taking a shaky step forward. He was not going to accept pity or charity from this stranger.

"Well…I…should I call the police?" he asked nervously, seeing her walking away slowly, clearly unsteady on her feet. "I'm going to report it anonymously…Miss? If it happens often, it's not something you should accept without a fight! What was his name? What did he look like?"

 _Right now, he looks and sounds like you!_ Kaiba growled, feeling lightheaded as he reached the end of the alleyway, glancing up and down the dark, deserted street.

"Let me…walk you to a brighter area," the man said, sounding desperate now. "We're near a lot of businesses. A lot of men get off work right about now…in groups…and it's dark."

Kaiba felt his eyelid twitch at this statement.

What was he suggesting?  
That there was a possibility of being assaulted by a group of men?

Did he look vulnerable as a woman or something?

While wearing athletic pants, not the usual skirt and heels?  
Why did all these men repeatedly approach him offering to help?

Did he somehow look…more assault-able when he was dressed like this?

 _Guess I wouldn't know, considering how I was just assaulted by a woman…for being a man_ , Kaiba thought bitterly. And in that moment, he decided to accept the man's help…because it was getting dark now, and the streetlamps were sparse along this road.

"Miss?" the man asked quietly, still a few feet behind him, and Kaiba turned to face him in the semi-darkness, nodding stiffly.

"Oh…good," the man said, sounding relieved, and Kaiba watched the man bang on the kitchen door behind him, giving it a rough kick. "Oi! Kouhai, open the door! I locked myself out again!"

There was a loud clatter on the other side before the door swung open and the man caught it. He reached forward to grab his junior by the collar, leaning in to whisper fervently, "There was a woman in our alley who was just assaulted. Clear the restaurant."

Kaiba heard this and frowned, wondering if that was really necessary.

"Wh-What?! We're in the middle of a dinner rush!" his junior gasped, and he strained for a peek behind the door, but was pushed back into the kitchen by his superior who glared at him.

"Shut up and do it!"

"O-Okay…" the junior squeaked, and Kaiba heard footsteps fade into the kitchen.

The chef beckoned for him to follow, leaving the door propped open for him, and he disappeared inside.

Kaiba stared at the open door in the middle of the empty alleyway. His stomach curled with hunger and goosebumps rising along his skin.

Was this a good idea? Or….

Kaiba turned his gaze towards the empty, dark street.

Or was heading out that way a good idea?

His feet took him towards the open door that was emanating a warm, enticing glow, and the delicious scent of miso broth filled his lungs.

* * *

 **Author's note:**

Yami is probably wondering where tf kumi is

Miyo is a conniving bich, very insecure

Poor kaiba, regretting his excursions as kumi

edited by setokaibaes. Thank you!

hugs,  
Ugli


	8. I wonder how many days I've lost

Yami sat nervously on a plush bench outside the purse boutique, gripping the shopping bag tightly.

Kumi and Miyo had disappeared for quite some time, and he wondered if they had both ditched him to go shopping together instead.

He inched his phone out of his pocket and contemplated sending Kumi a text when he saw Miyo's tall silhouette waving at him from afar while she was riding up the escalator.

Yami rose to his feet politely and waited for her to approach him, sounding breathless.

"Our talk went well," Miyo said quietly, smiling shyly at him. "She agreed to stop wasting your time. I'm sorry, Atem. Were you really hoping she'd sign with you?"

Yami blinked, his breath catching painfully in his lungs, feeling the shopping bag slip in his grasp.

She noticed this instantly.

"Oh! You bought her the bag!" she said, shaking her head kindly. "Maybe you should return it."

Yami swallowed tightly and shook his head, momentarily at a loss for words.

"Well, I have somewhere to be now," she said, and bowed politely, straightening up and smiling at him brightly before walking away.

Yami watched her go, his heart sinking terribly into his stomach with disappointment.

He had been wrong to think that if Kumi was pressured by another girl, a famous one at that, she would be encouraged to sign. Instead it had backfired horribly.

Sighing, Yami sat back down on the bench and pulled out his phone, his mind churning with a mixture of anger and confusion as he wondered what he could write to her in a message that wouldn't come off as pushy.

* * *

Kaiba sat down delicately at the ramen bar, feeling extremely out of place. This was a tiny, cramped shop where single businessmen often stopped by for a quick meal because they had no prepped food at home…and as for the quality of their food….

He watched the chef ladle broth into a bowl and set it down with a worried look on his face while his kouhai hovered anxiously behind him, his cheeks pink.

"Eat. Go on," the man encouraged before turning to address the junior. "Get me a bowl. You eat too, Ito-kun. A lady shouldn't be eating alone."

Kaiba felt an odd twinge in his chest and he watched the two men seat themselves at the far end of the bar with bowls full of broth and noodles, clapping their hands together quickly before diving in and slurping noisily.

He glanced down at his own bowl, eyeing the ingredients one by one, counting his own heartbeats steadily. This was practically…junk food. But at least everything looked fresh.

He picked up his chopsticks and spoon, thinking he would take two bites just to be polite and then excuse himself.

"Kojima senpai," the junior whispered audibly, "Did you open the door because you heard it?"

"I heard something," the chef answered shortly with his face buried in his bowl. "But not sure what. Opened the door. Saw her. End of story."

The junior gave the chef a knowing look, his eyes soft with pity, "Does she remind you of your sister? They look similar, don't they?"

"Shut up and eat," the man replied shortly, and Kaiba felt his ears burn.

Intent on eating quickly, he dipped his spoon into the broth and tasted it carefully, mildly surprised at the wonderful, light flavor.

"She looks like she's picky…" his junior continued, lowering his voice even more, but Kaiba could hear every word. "Do you see her bag? That cost more than my rent…three or four times. My mom always—"

"I said…shut up, Ito," the chef hissed at his junior and gave him a rough nudge with his knee. "If you want to talk so much, ask her if she needs to use the phone."

"No. I'm scared of women like her," his junior answered, no longer bothering to keep his voice low. "Out of my league, and scary. I was shunned by pretty girls like her all throughout highsc—"

"Nobody cares," his senpai answered carelessly, rounding off his bowl neatly and setting his chopsticks down with a click. "You were bullied because you had bad grades. Just admit it for once."

Kaiba felt a laugh climbing its way out his throat and he swallowed it tightly, continuing to eat silently, thinking that this flavor wasn't that bad at all.

"Hey, Miss," the chef said, addressing Kaiba, and Kaiba lowered his spoon slowly, nodding stiffly without looking at him. "Do you want tea?"

Kaiba shook his head tightly, feeling his scalp ache at where the extensions sat in his hair.

He understood now, that the restaurant had been cleared so he could regain some dignity and eat in silence without being gawked at.

Keeping his head down, Kaiba finished his food surprisingly quick, and he gazed into the bowl, expecting to see a layer of fat sitting in the broth, but to his surprise, there was none.

"She's checking for a layer of fat—ow ow ow!" Ito cried as his superior gave his earlobe a hard yank. "…Senpai! That hurts!"

"Clean up," the man ordered, rising to his feet and giving the stool a violent kick towards his junior. "And if I catch a mistake on the closing slips, I'm docking your pay."

"Cruel," the junior grumbled, rising to his feet and returning with a stack of paper.

Kaiba heard his phone buzz in his purse, and Ito snapped his head up, his eyes wide.

"Hey…your phone works!" He turned to his senpai, sounding accusatory. "Kojima-san, her phone works—"

"I said…shut up," the man growled at him, actively washing a pot at the sink behind the bar.

Kaiba ignored them both, fishing it out to glance at the message on his cracked screen.

It was from Yami.

The screen flickered in and out dangerously and Kaiba frowned, setting it down on the table and wondering if the phone was worth saving. He cursed himself for not bringing his other phone with him.

These excursions while dressed as a woman were getting dangerous in an annoying way.

"Oh...sorry, I was wrong," Ito said apologetically, and he went back to mumbling over his stack of papers. He gave his superior a frantic glance before holding his hand up to his face, whispering audibly, "Psst. You're beautiful, which means you must be smart too. Can you help me balance an amount—"

"Ito! Shut the fuck up and stop talking to her!" the chef threw the metal ladle down into the sink with a threatening clang and turned around to glare at his junior. "She will witness some violence if you don't shut up!"

Kaiba gently bit the tip of his tongue, mildly enjoying the attention. Well, he had finished the food, and now would be a good time to leave.  
Time to excuse himself.

"…Forty-two….no, forty-three…" the junior grumbled, grabbing his hair and scribbling fervently across a notepad. "…plus one? No, take away one…one kg of miso paste cost…"

Kaiba bit back another laugh. Was this man struggling with basic arithmetic? No wonder he was bullied.

He clicked his nails on the counter, and the man jerked his head up, his eyes wide and hopeful.

Kaiba rose from his seat and moved closer, grabbing the edge of the notepad to see what the man had been struggling with.

It was a mess. He couldn't read the writing.

"Ah...actually, its…this," the man whispered, pushing another notepad towards him, and this one was neat, with highlighted squares and different colored numbers. "Daily total…including—"

"Shut up, you idiot!" the chef roared, this time not turning around, and Ito shouted back with equal vigor, "I'm thinking to myself, senpai! I'm not talking to her!"

 _Yeah both of you shut up_ , Kaiba thought, his mood lightening as he gazed down at the notepad. Math always cheered him up.

It looked like these were the restaurant's daily totals, including the purchase of ingredients and daily deliveries.

Kaiba yanked the pen out of the man's hand and hastily wrote the total down, circling it and tapping the pad, watching the man's eyes widen in surprise.

"Senpai! We're over by several hundred!"

"Do it again," came the impatient reply from behind the bar. "We're always over when you count too quickly."

"No…its right, I'm sure!" Ito argued confidently, flipping the pages back. "We're over today, even though…"

He stopped talking abruptly, and Kaiba blinked.

Ah right, they had dismissed everyone who had been inside for dinner.

"I said, do it again! I'm taking out garbage," the chef called, his voice already fading, and the back door slammed loudly.

Kaiba slowly wrote in a neat line underneath the total, _"how much are you over by today?"_

The man reddened and shook his head, looking down shyly. "A lot. Usually always a lot. Senpai works hard and has good recipes, but we'll never open in a better location because Senpai insists on paying rent to the owner of this building."

 _"_ _Why?"_ Kaiba wrote, screaming at himself not to get involved, but he had a feeling he was already involved.

"Why?" the man echoed, glancing nervously across the ramen bar for the chef before whispering, "The old lady here is really nice. Sometimes she forgets to collect rent. Senpai refuses to abandon the old lady, because she has nobody left."

 _I see,_ Kaiba thought darkly. So, obligation, and more obligation.

A bleak existence, especially when this restaurant had the potential to grow.

Well, too bad. This was none of his business.

"Hey, want some dessert?" the man asked excitedly, rising to his feet and dashing around the counter. "You like sweets? I made all the sweets today, they're just going to waste!"

Kaiba narrowed his eyes and shook his head, but the man had already disappeared into the kitchen.

Sighing, Kaiba eyed the door, thinking this was his cue to leave.

He grabbed his purse and headed to the exit, hearing pattering footsteps coming back from the kitchen and a dismayed gasp. "She left?!" and he was spotted by the door.

"Oh! No, come back! This is good I promise! I went to school for this!"

"Ito, what the fuck are you doing?" the chef's voice came echoing from the back, and Ito shouted back frantically, "Offering dessert!"

And he pushed a tray of neatly made cakes across the counter.

Kaiba stared at them, wondering why they looked so professionally made.

They looked like something you'd see in a glass case in a nice area of Domino, not here in this dump, near a back alley of garbage.

"You look so impressed, you're speechless," Ito said, puffing out his chest and giving the cakes a fond look. "I can't balance totals at the end of the day, but I can bake."

"Finally some truth!" the chef shouted from somewhere in the kitchen, and his junior shouted back angrily. "She's interested! Shut up!"

Kaiba gave the man a wry smile and turned to leave, hearing him cry out nervously, "W-Wait…please, take one with you! Please!"

Shutting his eyes and sighing, Kaiba paused mid-step and nodded. These people were so insistent on being kind.

After a moment, the man rushed out from behind the counter, carrying a paper bag filled to the brim with individually boxed cakes, and he held them out to her in a respectful bow. "Thank you, come again!"

 _As if_ , Kaiba thought lightly, accepting the bag from the man and finally making his escape.

He hurried on his way, hearing the men still shouting behind him, their voices echoing up and down the quiet street.

 _"_ _You let her leave?!"_

 _"_ _Sh-She was already leaving!"_

 _"_ _You idiot! You let an assault victim just walk out in the dark…alone?!"_

 _"_ _I couldn't stop her from leaving!"_

 _"_ _I was going to drive her in the delivery truck to the train station!"_

 _"_ _I already said I'm sorry, senpai! Stop being angry!"_

 _"_ _I didn't fucking hear you say anything! You're fired!"_

 _"_ _Again?! Until when? Tomorrow?!"_

Rolling his eyes, Kaiba turned a corner and was relieved to see the bright buildings in front of him. Finally, a well-lit area where he could peacefully check his hair and makeup, and then get the hell home.

This day had been fucking exhausting.

He set the bag down on a nearby bench and felt a warm hand on his arm.

Startled, Kaiba almost cried out in surprise when he glanced to the side, seeing Yami gazing worriedly up at him.

"Kumi-san!" Yami said, sounding deeply hurt. "I found you at last! I figured you'd still be around here—you're a mess!"

He blinked rapidly, taking in her very disheveled appearance.

There were dark mud stains on both of her knees, and the bottom of her purse had a streak of dirt. Her hair was messy, as if someone had…grabbed her head…and then forced her to her knees….

Had she been…sexually assaulted? Or did she do that willingly?!

Yami felt bile rising quickly in his throat, and he looked away, his face burning.

Kaiba narrowed his eyes at his rival, wondering what Yami was thinking.

He slid his phone out of his purse and tapped Yami on the shoulder.

Yami glanced up and found himself staring at a cracked phone, and his blood ran cold.

No, it wasn't sexual assault. Just…assault.

"Was it…Miyo-chan?" Yami asked wildly, unable to keep his voice down, and several heads turned in their direction.

Kaiba set his mouth in a tight line, pressing a finger to his lips in a bid for quiet, nodding.

"She told me you didn't want to see me anymore! That's not true, is it?" Yami implored, noticing that she was carrying a single unmarked shopping bag. "Did you buy yourself something? Here, let's sit."

Kaiba let Yami pull him down onto the bench, and he noticed Yami was also holding a shopping bag.

"I got this for you…" Yami said shyly, passing her the bag and watching her expression carefully. "I saw you admiring it. Please use it."

Kaiba opened the bag and gazed down into it, mildly pleased to see that Yami had bought the black handbag with the red strap.

"You…like it?" Yami asked tentatively, and he saw her remain motionless for a long moment before raising her head to smile at him, a bright, beautiful smile that reached her eyes.

"W-Wow," Yami said weakly, feeling slightly lightheaded by her sudden radiance.

 _Whatever_ , Kaiba thought carelessly, shoving the bag of cakes toward Yami and watching Yami accept it cautiously, peering into the top and taking one out, holding the bland paper box up to the light.

"What's in here?" Yami asked, trying to keep his tone light, but he was disappointed.

What on earth were in these ugly take-out boxes? And there were so many of them!

He opened it carefully and the light floral scent of strawberries caught him off guard.

Yami found himself staring down at a beautiful slice of cake, wonderfully decorated with delicate cream swirls, and a single fresh slice of strawberry glistened on top.

"Where did you get this?!" Yami exclaimed, his disappointment melting away into amazement. There wasn't a bakery on this street, or the next. How far had she walked to get something like this?

Kaiba made a movement to mimic typing on his phone, and Yami handed him his without hesitation.

Tapping on the screen, Kaiba almost dropped the phone when he saw a photo of his own hands as Yami's background.

"239000," Yami said quickly, his mouth ground dry as he wondered why he was giving a virtual stranger his phone password, and he watched her duck her head down to quickly write him a message before passing the phone back.

 _"_ _Loud, noisy ramen shop. Hidden gem, I think."_

"A ramen shop that sells cakes like this?!" Yami said, his voice rising with incredulity, his heart racing with excitement. Kumi was definitely a diamond in the rough. She was so good at finding hidden gems!

 _Yes, shut up,_ Kaiba thought mildly, and to his annoyance, Yami pulled out his camera again.

"A perfect backdrop for your nails this time," Yami said confidently, holding the cakes up to the sparkling lights of the city buildings. "Can you pose like this? Make sure to keep the flaps down, the box is ugly…."

Automatically complying, Kaiba did as he was told, lifting the cake box up with both hands, his mind raging at Miyo's words.

 _"_ _He'll no longer be interested once he finds out."_

This spurred him on to cooperate with Yami even further when Yami opened another box to place a different cake in his hands, asking him to curl this thumbs in over the flaps.

He even went as far to let Yami touch his hair, to fix it.

"We'll do a hair shoot another day," Yami said warmly, giving her hair a playful tug, and Kaiba felt his stomach twist strangely. "Okay? Promise we'll meet again?"

Kaiba nodded stiffly. Fine.

"Let me walk you to your car," Yami said protectively, slinging his camera over his shoulder and waiting for her to take his hand. "Please."

Kaiba didn't have the energy to refuse anymore, so he complied. He placed his hand firmly into Yami's and stood fluidly, earning more stares from male pedestrians passing by and jealous glares from the women on their arms.

Pleased that she was acting more pleasant, Yami fell into step behind her, letting her pull him forward down the crowded street.

He stared intently at her back, trying to memorize the way she looked, feeling his chest tighten with happiness every time she gave his hand a warm squeeze, but his stomach churned with unease at the thought of her mud-stained knees and cracked phone.

Miyo-chan was a gentle girl…she didn't strike him as a bully.

Deciding to confront her about it later, Yami shoved the thought aside and focused his attention on Kumi's hand in his, silently thanking his lucky stars.

If anything, Kumi felt different than the other girls he had worked with, because she seemed so genuine at times like this, it was hard to get her out of his head when they were apart.

They turned a dark street corner and Yami gulped nervously, seeing the flash of red taillights against a darkened wall of an abandoned building.  
He realized Kumi had parked in a dangerous location…again.

"Kumi-san," Yami said anxiously, feeling her hand tighten over his. "Please stop leaving your car in places like this…"

Kaiba rolled his eyes and let go of Yami's hand, whirling around to face him. He bit his tongue to keep from speaking. God, this was agonizing.

He was tired of people treating him like he was a delicate flower.  
Did women experience this type of prejudice often?!  
It was getting really fucking annoying.

"…Or not?" Yami added shakily when he saw Kumi's expression darken, and he swore for a moment, he could feel a wave of hostility emanating from her.

Kaiba turned away and pulled his car door open, gazing blankly down into the empty driver's seat.

Given how he had been treated today by the sparkling water girl, and then the ramen shop owners, this was going to be his last excursion as Kumi.

Forever.

If fucking around with Yami was something he found fun and arousing, he would pursue that in his own time, dressed as himself, fully male. Going out like this had become too dangerous and risky.

"Kumi-san?" Yami asked nervously, seeing her stand motionless by her car door, looking oddly distant. "Are you okay?"

 _Yeah, this is goodbye,_ Kaiba thought roughly, raising his head to meet Yami's heated gaze in the dark, and he saw Yami blink slowly at him.

He reached forward for Yami's hand and turned his palm upwards, writing slowly into his palm.

 _"_ _Goodbye. It's been fun. Maybe someday I'll even—"_

"No, don't you dare," Yami seethed, jerking his hand away to interrupt her. "You said it's fun! If it's fun for you, it's fun for me too, Kumi-san!"

 _No, let me fucking finish,_ Kaiba fumed, eyeing the phone in Yami's front pocket. He briefly contemplated stealing it.

"Don't let Miyo-san's success intimidate you," Yami said, grasping at strings. "If you don't want high-level attention, you don't have to accept jobs that—"

Kumi lunged at him and caught him off balance.

Yami cried out as he lost his footing and found himself pinned against the side of the car, the door handle digging painfully into his lower back as nails dragged down his thigh and fished his phone out of his pocket.

His voice caught in his throat, and he felt himself grow aroused.

 _No, now is not the time_ , Yami growled at himself, staring at her pale face illuminated by the glow of his phone, and he was determined to finish his pitch while she typed.

"You can start with shoe commercials," Yami said quietly, "Or even hand model if you don't want to show your face. Every part of you is beautiful."

 _Oh shut up, I'm a guy,_ Kaiba thought irritably, shoving the phone under Yami's nose impatiently, and waited for him to read it.

"a) cant express how much I DO NOT WANT exposure as a model or otherwise.

b) my main goal was "romance", yes, in quotations, but I've decided that it's not worth it anymore.

c) GOOD BYE/ don't call me. I wont answer. my phone is broken as u can see."

There was a long silence before Yami spoke up, sounding defeated. "Romance. Romance?"

Kaiba nodded angrily and ground his teeth in annoyance, tossing the phone back into his purse.

Good, he had finally gotten his point across. Time to leave.

"Wait…" Yami grabbed her by the wrist and held on tightly, unable to look her in the face, and Kumi shook him off, but he only clung on tighter.

"You really like me?" Yami whispered, feeling strangely lightheaded. "This isn't a joke?"

She had to be joking, because girls like her could have any man she wanted!

Yami knew he personally had a hard time separating his work from his life, always ending up having his heart broken by one beauty after another.

It was a cruel relentless pattern that even his friends had recognized and they lost sympathy for him ages ago.

When it came to this girl, Kumi, he thought he could distance himself enough to build a classier portfolio, but here she was, saying that she liked him? Even after how she had constantly criticized his actions for being "creepy"?

Kaiba watched Yami's expression change from incredulity to confusion, and he sniffed arrogantly. He had never thought his rival to be this dense, especially given how he had behaved in the shoe store during their second meeting.

The change in personality was alarming.

"…I can't." Yami said flatly after a long moment, and Kaiba rolled his eyes again.

Whatever. He was leaving.

He ducked into his car, setting the shopping bags in his lap and leaning forward to close the door before Yami wedged himself closer to stop him.

"Wait…I meant, I can't date you, and photograph you for the magazine at the same time," Yami managed awkwardly, carefully turning his body to the side to prevent his camera lens from scratching against the car window.

 _Yeah, the solution is fucking simple,_ Kaiba raged privately, giving Yami the finger. _I don't want to be in your magazine. Don't photograph me, you fucking idiot._

"Then I can have you all to myself," Yami said, looking dazed and happy. "Is that what it means?"

 _I don't know what you mean_ , Kaiba thought, and he narrowed his eyes at Yami, giving him a shrewd look.

"Tomorrow, I'm going to bring you flowers," Yami nodded stiffly, gazing down at Kumi in the driver's seat, seeing her sit up straighter. "…and I'm going to properly ask you to be my girlfriend."

 _Oh good, finally_ , Kaiba thought sarcastically, giving Yami a half-smile, and watched as Yami bent down swiftly to press a kiss on his cheek before straightening up again, his lips curved upwards in the delightful smirk that he knew so well.

"So—" Yami gasped in surprise as Kumi gave his arm a forceful yank, pulling him down into a deeper kiss, and his stomach swooped wonderfully to his feet when her soft lips grazed along his chin before traveling down lower to bite down softly against his neck.

Yami felt his knees grow weak.

Amazing. She was an amazing kisser!

Kaiba felt Yami slipping lower and lower, and he smirked, pulling away softly to slowly climb out of the car, and Yami backed away breathlessly, his lips swelling with arousal.

Why was she getting out of the car?

Yami let her pull him by the arm again, this time forcing him to sit down into the driver's seat, and his elbow knocked awkwardly against the steering wheel, almost hitting the horn.

"…I can't drive your car," Yami balked, eyeing the sleek dashboard lit up with white LED lights in the darkness, and his heart raced. "I wouldn't trust myself to."

 _Shut up, I'm not asking you to drive_ , Kaiba thought mildly, shoving the shopping bag aside onto the ground beside him and raking his hand down Yami's front, enjoying the way Yami squirmed nervously under his touch.

"Kumi-san…" Yami said uncertainly, unable to tear his eyes away from her hand trailing down his chest while she knelt on the ground in front of him, and her hands stopped suggestively at his belts.

 _How annoying, two belts_ , Kaiba growled, giving the buckle an annoyed flick, tapping his nails against the cold metal, hearing them click loudly.

And to his frustration, Yami reddened and pushed his hand away, stammering, "I've never…I mean, I don't want to do this here."

 _You've never what?_ Kaiba thought deliriously, feeling his tongue itch and his own boner throb in his pants. He was glad it was dark, and that his boner was being concealed down low by the car's bevel.

He wrestled silently with Yami's belts, fending off Yami's hands which swatting him away fruitlessly while he squirmed, "Please! Kumi-san! We're in a public place…!"

Kaiba finally managed to free the first belt and swiftly worked on the second one, deaf to Yami's protests, his mind focused on one goal: the bulge in Yami's pants.

Now this was fun.  
He had always wanted to do this.  
If this gave him an advantage over his rival, he would do it.  
If anything, this was payback, for all the embarrassment and humiliation he had felt these past few weeks.

The tip of Yami's erection peeked enticingly out from underneath the band of his underwear and Kaiba grinned, reaching a hand out to grab it, and feeling Yami wrestle him back with surprising strength, so Kaiba threw his arms around Yami's waist and burrowed his head forward.

Yami felt the air leave his lungs in a sudden whoosh the moment Kumi forcefully headbutted his stomach, and a hot, wet sensation swirled wonderfully around his tip, followed by the sharp sting of teeth as she nibbled at the band of his underwear pressing against his shaft.

Letting out a soft cry, Yami let his hands fall into Kumi's long hair, which was splayed messily in his lap, running down his legs and almost touching the floor of the car.

He subconsciously scooped it up and piled it high atop her head, shuddering intensely when he felt her pull his waistband back to take his dick into her mouth with more force, her tongue roughly thudding against his slit, sending more violent shivers up and down his spine.

 _Aw, thanks for holding my hair,_ Kaiba thought mildly, enjoying himself immensely every time he felt Yami let out a soft gasp or attempt to suppress a pleasurable shiver. He tasted good…a little musky, but it was a clean taste that lingered pleasantly on the tip of his tongue.

Stunned and aroused beyond belief, Yami saw his own knees tremble at the sides of her head, and he glanced over her shoulder, seeing nothing the dark street as another ripple of heat traveled through his stomach.

He looked up and stared blankly at the car's low ceiling, unable to believe what was happening.

A blow job.

His first blow job…was being taken in this expensive car that belonged to a girl, who looked like an angel, but behaved like the devil.

And he was about to cum.

She gave the head of his dick another lewd swirl with her tongue and bobbed her head vigorously up and down, her mouth impossibly tight and wet.

Kaiba felt Yami's hands tighten in his hair and he braced himself, teasingly flicking his tongue repeatedly over Yami's leaking slit and expecting cum in his mouth, but his head was yanked up so forcefully, his heck ached, and he watched with curling disappointment as Yami came shamelessly all over his underwear, the semen dripping down into his pants and pooling uncomfortably underneath his balls.

Gritting his teeth, Kaiba let out a growl, digging his nails into Yami's thighs, resisting the urge to shout at his rival. Why was this man so fucking…stupid!

Yami was shivering violently as the cold night air assaulted his sensitive penis, and he felt himself sweat the moment he heard her let out a growl that sounded absolutely feral.

"I'm sorry, I'm not clean," Yami apologized immediately, and he saw another dark look flashing across her face as she wiped her chin delicately. "It's dirty…I haven't…" and Kaiba watched Yami turn even redder, "I haven't taken care of myself in a few days. You don't want to swallow that."

 _Pathetic._ Kaiba smirked and stuck his tongue out playfully, seeing Yami hesitate before leaning forward to kiss him tentatively before losing his restraint and shoving his tongue insistently into his mouth.

 _Hypocrite,_ Kaiba thought happily, understanding that Yami's "considerate act" was just that; an act.

Yami felt Kumi pull away and his lower lip throbbed pleasantly. The warm feeling instantly vanished and was replaced with cold dread the moment he felt his own cum stick to his skin inside his underwear.

 _Now get out of my seat_ , Kaiba smirked evilly, stuffing Yami's half-erection back into his sticky underwear and forcefully zipping him up, enjoying the way Yami winced.

Kaiba grabbed the shopping bag up from the ground and pressed it against his own stomach, making sure it covered his own erection before giving Yami's arm a tug to pull him out of the car.

Yami stumbled out clumsily and his legs wobbled dangerously as he tried to remain standing. He couldn't, so his knees hit the pavement painfully while his body shuddered shamefully with residual shocks of pleasure thrumming low in his stomach.

"W-Wait!" Yami cried, watching Kumi climb gracefully into her car, slam the door, and start the engine with a deafening roar. The car peeled out of the parking lot, backing up so fast, she almost hit the opposite wall behind her.

Red tail lights disappeared after it turned a corner, leaving Yami on his knees, alone, in the dark.

* * *

Kaiba flung the door shut and leaned on it heavily, panting lightly while he glanced around his room, relieved.

No one had seen him.

"Seto?" A soft knock sounded at his door and Mokuba's voice sounded out behind him and Kaiba stiffened nervously.  
S-Seriously?!  
What time was it?  
He was supposed to be asleep!

Dropping his purse quietly to the floor, Kaiba slid his hand into it fishing out his phone and staring at the unfamiliar screen.

This was not his phone.

His stomach clenched with dread when he clicked it on and saw the photo of his own hands as the background. This was…Yami's phone! How the fuck had it gotten in here?!

Kaiba pressed a hand to his forehead, trying to stave off the oncoming headache as he vaguely remembered tossing Yami's phone into his bag after using it to write out his messages.

Oh…fuck. Fuck fuck fuck.

"Seto?" Mokuba called out again, knocking twice and sounding impatient this time. "I heard you running past my room. Are you okay?"

Ignoring Mokuba, he slipped his hand back into his purse and managed to find his own phone. He clicked it on, seeing the screen flicker pathetically before displaying the time.

11:03 PM.

"It's bedtime, go to bed," Kaiba called hoarsely, wincing while he unclipped the hair extensions. No more clip-ins. This was something he would have to further research.

"But I'm not tired!" Mokuba shouted, and Kaiba heard Isono's voice echo through the door too. "Young Master, please…your brother is very tired."

"No he's not!" Mokuba cried, his voice fading while Isono was undoubtedly dragging him away from the door. "I heard him…!"

Sighing, Kaiba shook the hair out and rose to his feet, laying them down across the foot of the bed before turning to walk into the bathroom for a shower.

* * *

Yami threw himself into his apartment, slamming the door so loudly, the sound made his eardrums throb.  
He was beside himself with panic and worry.

His phone was gone.  
His phone had been taken.

His phone had been taken by Kumi, who was still acting as elusive as ever, so how was he going to get it back?!

Forcing himself to take deep breath, Yami leaned against his door, closing his eyes and trying to recall when the last time he had touched his phone.

It was…in the parking lot, before Kumi had….

Yami shivered at the memory and peeled his clothes off his body right where he stood, leaving them at his feet and marching into the shower.

He stepped in and switched the water on, watching the steam curl up before stepping underneath it, sighing deeply.

Why would Kumi want to take his phone?

He grabbed the bar of soap and lathered it fervently in his hands.

Did she suck him off as a form of torture?

He washed his legs and ass vigorously to rid himself of the semen that had dried there.

Maybe she took the phone as a punishment. But…for what?

He tossed the soap back onto its tray and rinsed himself off quickly.

Why couldn't he stop thinking about Kaiba, and what Kaiba would say about this? Because he would inevitably need Kaiba's help to track her down…again.

And this time was more urgent than the last because his life was in his phone!

Yami shut the water off and stood there blankly, his eyes heating up terribly.

Everything was in his phone. He didn't sync contact information to his computer…though now Yami realized he should, but it was too late.

Oh well. He could message Yugi or any of his friends via their socials.

It was freeing not having to answer work emails this late at night.

Shivering mildly from the cold, he stepped out and snatched his towel off the hook, pressing it deeply into his face, breathing slowly in and out.

After a moment, Yami dried off completely and resolved to make the best of this situation. All wasn't lost.

He still had the wonderful photos of Kumi on his camera, and those were all that mattered.

Struck with a renewed sense of enthusiasm, Yami strode out of the bathroom to get dressed, intent on editing the photos as quickly as he could.

* * *

Kaiba had just finished stuffing the high-heeled shoes and purse into the back of his closet when he heard his phone vibrate loudly across his desk.

He straightened up and quickly rearranged the suits on his hangers, making sure nothing odd, like a stray heel or hair, was peeking out.

The phone buzzed on his desk again and he walked over to his desk to pick it up. To his dismay, it was Yami's phone that had buzzed, and the title of the email was "URGENT".

Intrigued, Kaiba unlocked the phone, remembering Yami's passcode with ease.

" **From:** boroboro_san  
 **To:** Atem

 **Subject:** URGENT! Please respond asap!

 _Atemu-san!_

 _I hope you managed to capture several moments with the beauty today!_

 _Please pass these questions on to her. The composition team has been asking me non-stop every day since Monday! oh god im sweating!_

 _\- Favorite color?_

 _\- Favorite animal?_

 _\- Favorite pastime?_

 _\- What is a secret no one can know?_

 _\- Why I was popular (or unpopular) in school?_

 _\- How I kept boyfriends interested? (name positive trait)_

 _\- Favorite area of study (more than 1 is OK)_

 _\- Favorite outfit to wear while studying_

 _\- Favorite study snack or drink?_

 _\- Skin care regimen?_

 _\- Favorite hair for date_

 _\- Favorite outfit for date (perhaps matching with photos)_

 _\- What I look for in a man I hope to marry?_

 _\- Most annoying trait I've encountered in a man_

 _OK! That's it for this week! Its double the questions because last week you got nothing, zero! ATEM HURRY!_

 _And split half with me, okay? That's what brothers would do._

 _I'm thinking I'll lose my bonus sooner than you because I'm here sending this email instead of out chasing beauties!_

 _See you tomorrow!_

 _Much luck,_  
 _Boro"_

 _I have a headache_ , Kaiba growled to himself, placing the phone facedown onto his desk. Those were wholesome questions; questions which he would need to think of elaborate _lies_ for.

To his supreme annoyance, the phone buzzed again, and Kaiba snatched it up, wondering why Yami got so many work-related messages this time of night.

It was another email.

" **From:** Wilhelm J  
 **To:** Atem

 **Subject:** Layout approval

Atem,

Tomorrow, I expect mockups ready to be submitted to the team for layout approval.

After you left early today, Boro-san covered your duties in the meeting.

I won't tolerate any more excuses about how "elusive" this beauty is.

If she is unwilling, do not push her.  
We don't want a lawsuit.

We will change course and feature another girl that Ken-san has on the backburner. We will say that that girl is the "mystery angel".

There are many ways to approach this, and I'm specifically asking you not to take difficult route.

Even though we can appreciate you finding the most eye-catching and marketable girls similar to Miyo-chan, if we can't print on time, there is no point.

Mock up ready by tomorrow or there will be no monthly bonus.

-W"

 _Oh shit, that's his boss_ , Kaiba thought mildly, sitting down behind his desk and pulling his computer up, tapping the spacebar aimlessly, seeing his screen flash on.

It seemed Yami worked hard. This discovery was unexpected, but it was something he could appreciate in his rival.

 _Fine I'll answer your damn questions_ , Kaiba fumed, grabbing a spare cord from inside his desk drawer and swiftly connecting Yami's phone to his computer.

First, he would answer the email from Yami's boss.

He clicked through Yami's email, reading through past messages and easily mimicked his wording in a response.

Kaiba smirked in amusement, proofreading through his handiwork proudly.

"Mr. Johnson,

I will have the mockups done for you tomorrow…tomorrow afternoon by the very latest, but not likely!

I don't mind working without a bonus.

What's rewarding for me is working with the girls, you out of everyone should know that!

Thank you for complimenting me on my ability to find marketable girls.

I do my best.

See you tomorrow,

Atem."

 _And send,_ Kaiba thought dryly, clicking 'send' and moving down to the next email, wondering why he was basically doing Yami's work for him.

Well, this email was for Kumi.

Rolling his eyes, Kaiba copied the entire block of questions and pasted it into the reply box, quickly typing out bullshit answers for each one.

\- **Favorite color?**

Blue + white!

\- **Favorite animal?**  
…dragons.

\- **Favorite pastime?**  
dueling

\- **What is a secret no one can know?**

If I told you, everyone would know it! Wtf?  
(ok but really it's this: I have fetish for tight clothing on men tee hee)

\- **Why I was popular (or unpopular) in school?**

I was very unpopular because I was constantly changing schools due to traveling parents. I wish I knew what it felt like to be popular!

 _I'm horrible_ , Kaiba thought ruthlessly, still typing and beginning to mildly enjoy himself.

\- **How I kept boyfriends around? (name positive trait)**

Using my big beautiful….peeniss….. hahaha just kidding!  
Eyes.  
Everyone says they love the color of my eyes!

\- **Favorite area of study**

In this order: science, math, history

\- **Favorite outfit to wear while studying**

Nothing! I study naked.  
And I study better with a partner.

Prefer if they were naked too.

\- **Favorite study snack or drink**?

Beer. Whiskey if im feeling dangerous.

\- **Skin care regimen?**

Water.

\- **Favorite hair for date**

\- **Favorite outfit for date (perhaps matching with photos)**

Shown in photos! why do I have to answer this?

\- **What I look for in a man I hope to marry**?

Big **** and *** lots of *** and **** and ****, and he has to have *****

\- **Most annoying trait I've encountered in a man**

The fact that he licked my armpit during ****, so take note gentlemen who may be reading this, don't fucking do that while ***-ing

 _Done,_ Kaiba thought proudly, laughing to himself as he sent the email.

He disconnected Yami's phone and kept smiling to himself while he made his way over to his bed and laid down, his head spinning with exhaustion.

* * *

Author's note:

Happy (almost) new year!  
I hope everyone is having a warm and safe holiday!  
edited by: setokaibaes

hugs,  
Ugli


	9. sitting here, wondering if I've died

Yami dashed into the elevator and stabbed the button with his thumb, sweating with nervousness.

An arm thrust in through the steadily closing doors and pried them apart.

His colleague, Boro, threw himself into the elevator with Yami at the last second, and he bent over, panting as the doors slid silently shut once more.

"Boro-san!" Yami exclaimed, taking a step back and staring at his coworker. "You could've yelled. I would've heard it!"

"A-Are…you…are you insane?!" his colleague panted in response, sliding his phone out of his pocket and shoving it under Yami's nose. "What are these responses?!"

Yami blinked and felt his heart skip a solid beat as he stared at the screen. It was an email from himself, and it seemed Kumi had taken the liberties to answer the interview questions!

But wait….

 _ **Favorite color?**_

 _Blue + white!_

 _ **Favorite animal?**_  
 _…dragons._

 _ **Favorite pastime?**_  
 _dueling_

Was she emulating Seto Kaiba on purpose?!

"What kind of…ridiculous answers…" Boro panted, readjusting his cap back onto his head and straightening up, leaning against the railing of the elevator as it continued to travel upwards.

Frowning, Yami continued to read the replies.

 _ **How I kept boyfriends around? (name positive trait)**_

 _Using my big beautiful….peeniss….. hahaha just kidding!_  
 _Eyes._  
 _Everyone says they love the color of my eyes!_

He bit his tongue painfully, causing his eyes to water. Okay, this was no longer funny.

"You approved this?" his colleague cried, shaking his head in disbelief. "Looks like you didn't even read it before hitting 'send'!"

"I lost my phone, and didn't check my mail last night," Yami replied humbly, handing the phone back.

Boro stared at him for a long moment before pushing the phone back towards Yami, shaking his head. "No, read all of it."

Now deeply nervous, Yami scanned the rest of the answers quickly, hearing the elevator doors slide open.

 _ **Favorite study snack or drink**?_

 _Beer. Whiskey if im feeling dangerous._

 _ **Skin care regimen?**_

 _Water._

"Is she trying to be funny?" Yami whispered, following Boro through the aisle of their office, catching stray glares from other coworkers as they passed. "Skin care regimen… _water?_ "

"Yeah, you found a real hilarious one, Atem," his colleague grumbled, reaching his desk and setting his camera bag down onto his chair. "Did you get to the bottom yet?"

"No…" Yami balked, quickly scrolling down.

 _ **What I look for in a man I hope to marry**?_

 _Big **** and *** lots of *** and **** and ****, and he has to have *****_

 _ **Most annoying trait I've encountered in a man**_

 _The fact that he licked my armpit during ****, so take note gentlemen who may be reading this, don't fucking do that while ***-ing_

Both men fell silent for a long moment while they stared down at the phone, and Yami felt a cold trickle of sweat run down the back of his neck.

"Yooohoo! Atemuuu!"

The editor-in-chief poked her head into the cubicle, her long black hair hanging off her shoulders. "I saw you two come in! What's with the dark faces? Did the "elusive beauty" slip out of your hands again?"

Yami raised his head slowly to stare at her bleakly, and Boro snatched the phone out of his hands to pass it to her.

Her eyes widened with interest, and she began reading it aloud, "Favorite color, blue and white, favorite animal…dragons? This girl seems—"

"Shh!" Boro hissed, moving to stand beside her, his back facing the aisle, and he dipped his head down to whisper. "She's either trying to be funny or doesn't understand the seriousness of these questions."

"Dragons are a type of fantasy animal," the editor-in-chief argued back pleasantly, smiling while she continued to scroll down.

She let out a soft squeak after reading the remaining answers and she clapped a hand over her mouth, her cheeks turning red while she giggled.

"Not funny, not funny, not funny!" Boro whispered, his face also turning red with embarrassment. "We aren't an 18+ magazine!"

"D-Did she say these things to you while you typed them?" she asked incredulously, addressing Yami, and Yami shook his head softly.

"She took my phone and wrote the answers herself."

Yami watched with increasing amusement as she threw her head back and let out a full laugh, her shoulders shaking with mirth.

"I like this girl!" she giggled, handing the phone back to Boro and winking at Yami. "We won't print the 18+ comments, so have her re-write those seriously. But everything else we can publish. She sounds creative!"

"You can't be serious!" Boro gasped, and Yami blinked rapidly, wondering if his ears were playing tricks on him.

"Yeah, it's funny! We have a girl with a real personality here," the editor-in-chief said, waving a hand over her shoulder and walking away. "It'll make her face-reveal even more anticipated!"

Yami watched her go, and felt Boro elbow him in the arm, "Yo, I feel like you get special treatment around here, huh?"

Yami shook his head in exasperation and stepped out of the cubicle, giving his colleague a small smile over his shoulder before heading back to his desk.

He needed to get a handle on this situation now…!

Setting his camera bag down gently beside his chair, he sat down and powered his computer on, thinking he could contact Kumi by sending himself an email, since she was having so much fun answering the interview questions in her own way.

He pulled up his own email and composed a fresh message, typing frantically.

* * *

Kaiba heard Yami's phone buzz audibly inside his desk drawer, and he pulled it out, expecting to see a call from Yugi asking for the phone back, but to his surprise, it was another email Yami had sent to himself.

Odd.

Pausing in his work, Kaiba made sure to save his progress before indulging himself into Yami's business once more.

 _" **To:** Atem_  
 _ **From:** Atem_

 _ **Subject:** KUMI-SAN!_

 _Dear angel,_

 _Please return my phone. It contains my life and entire address book!_

 _Also, thank you for answering the interview questions. The only few that require a serious answer are these:_

 _ **How I kept boyfriends around?**_

 _ **Favorite outfit to wear while studying**_

 _ **What I look for in a man I hope to marry**?_

 _ **Most annoying trait I've encountered in a man**_

 _Let's meet up again, okay? When are you free? Please reply soon."_

Kaiba hissed in annoyance and tapped his nails against the edge of his laptop. If he was only being asked to re-write these answers, did that mean all the other answers for his questions had been accepted?!

He didn't know how to answer these questions, hence the bullshit!  
How _did_ you keep a boyfriend around?!

Sighing, Kaiba eyed the phone on his desk and gave the bottommost button two rapid taps. Time to ask his secretary.

Footsteps rushed to his office door and creaked it open softly. She stuck her head in through the door before stepping in and closing it quickly behind her, bowing stiffly.

"Mr. Kaiba?"

"Status update from the lab downstairs?" Kaiba asked tensely, wondering how he could possibly begin to ask these questions without sounding suspicious.

"They haven't sent up a report, so I don't know," she answered truthfully, eyeing the door hopefully. "Anything else?"

"No," Kaiba said stiffly, mentally kicking himself and wondering why he couldn't bring himself to say it. "That's all."

"Okay," she said, bowing quickly and straightening up again, blinking rapidly when she noticed the tips of Kaiba's ears were slightly pink.

Ah, right! She had forgotten!

"I'm so sorry!" she cried, bending herself down into a bow again, and Kaiba felt his eyelid twitch. "I forgot to bring you last week's magazine!"

Kaiba tucked his tongue between his teeth and bit down lightly.  
She was perceptive.

"But…there wasn't much on the main feature page which I thought was strange," she said, straightening up and fixing her blouse nervously. "So I didn't think you'd be interested in the rest of the magazine."

"You're right, I'm not." Kaiba answered viciously, mentally kicking himself again. How was any of this a good gateway to ask what she looked for in a man?

"I see," she said, nodding politely, and she slowly made her way to the door, feeling her cheeks burn. Something still felt odd, but she couldn't figure out what.

Her fingers had just wrapped around the door handle when she heard Kaiba speak again, "Wait."

She turned around politely, biting back amused laughter when she noticed the CEO's cheeks steadily growing red.

 _Just fucking say it!_ Kaiba berated himself silently, and he opened his mouth to speak, cringing at himself internally when he did.

"How do you keep a boyfriend around?"

There was a slight pause, and his secretary seemed to take the question into stride, "I would ask him out on a date every now and then to keep things fresh!"

"Yeah, no," Kaiba said automatically, and he bit his tongue, regretting speaking immediately and tried to correct himself with, "What else?"

"Ah…" his secretary bit her lower lip nervously, the corners of her mouth twitching upwards. "Um…if—I mean, I would personally…give him a gift. Something he would like? I would make sure to openly…reciprocate."

"Right," Kaiba said plainly, wondering if he ought to be writing this garbage down verbatim so he could immediately send it to Yami without having to think about it again.

"Anything else?" he asked as he pulled his computer closer and began surreptitiously typing slowly.

 _"openly reciprocate/give a gift"_

His secretary blinked, wondering if Kaiba was now ignoring her after hearing an answer he liked.

"No, that's all I think," she said nervously, clasping her hands in front of her, and noticing that Kaiba's fingers had stopped moving over his keyboard, and her heart skipped a beat.

Was he…writing this down?!

"But if he's not the gifting type, I would find another way to reciprocate," she said in a rush, feeling her face grow dangerously warm again. "Like physically, with a…hug or…something!"

To her extreme astonishment, she saw Kaiba's fingers slowly begin typing again and she dared to smile.

"How do you know…that he's…" Kaiba paused and spoke through gritted teeth. "Marriage material?"

 _I can laugh now, right?_ She thought to herself wildly, feeling a smile curling her lips upwards against her will, but she reminded herself that if she lost her composure now, Kaiba looked like he might fire her….

"H-He would have to be… _extremely nice_ ," she said with finality, and she saw Kaiba's eyelid twitch so visibly, it looked like he had winked.

Oh, that was considered a bad answer.

"He has my best interests at heart," she said again, wondering why this felt like an interrogation. Kaiba wasn't interested…in her, right?

"And what are those?" Kaiba growled, hearing Yami's phone buzzing again in his desk drawer and he ignored it. He was fucking working on the answers, could Yami shut the fuck up for two minutes?

"My best interests?" she asked, her eyes widening, and she glanced at the door nervously. "Is this part of my job description, Mr. Kaiba?"

Kaiba ground his teeth furiously, understanding that his secretary was now thoroughly spooked by his sudden personal interest.

"Asking for a friend," Kaiba said, trying his best to keep his tone light, but he knew his anger showed on his face.

"You have a friend who is interested in me?" she asked, brightening up instantly. "Have I met him before? Was it Yami?"

Kaiba chewed the tip of his tongue again, cursing himself internally while his mind spun with another horrible excuse.

"Asking for a friend, who wants to know if a man is worth marrying!" Kaiba said furiously, curling his fingers into a fist, and to his relief, she smiled warmly and took a few tentative steps towards his desk.

"Ah…that friend," she said, understanding immediately that Kaiba was once again talking about himself and was asking for advice, so she tilted her head to the side thoughtfully. "If you love each other deeply, marriage is the next reasonable step, right?"

Kaiba opened his mouth and closed it so quickly, his jaw ached. Off topic.

The question was "what did you look for in a man you _hope_ to marry" not "a man I want to marry".

"What…traits would he have," Kaiba breathed, thinking if he whispered, he could refrain from yelling.

His secretary took another step towards the middle of the room and sat down on the couch facing the TV and crossed her legs stiffly, looking thoughtful.

"He needs to be caring, and considerate. He needs to look after me, but also manage to look after himself. I want to be my own person, but have him support me emotionally too," she rattled off, acutely aware that Kaiba had resumed typing again, and she risked another secret smile. "And that's all."

"What's an annoying trait?" Kaiba asked instantly, and she paused, composing herself before answering again.

"I find it annoying when…he relies on me too much," she said simply, rising to her feet and pressing her skirt back into place. "I'm a very independent career woman. I can't stand men who cling to me for support."

She smiled genuinely at Kaiba, wondering if the CEO could relate to this sentiment. Perhaps there was a man in Seto Kaiba's life that was making him act this way. The thought made her giggle, and she earned furtive glare from Kaiba.

"You can be honest with me, Mr. Kaiba," she said quietly, lowering her gaze respectfully. "We're about the same age. I think we would've been in the same graduating class actually."

"What?" Kaiba said absently, saving the words he had typed and glancing up at her over his laptop screen.

"Who is he?" she asked boldly, and she watched Kaiba's eyes widen slightly before they narrowed into a cold glare.

"No one," Kaiba said firmly, wondering how he had been found out so quickly, and he watched his secretary laugh lightly.

"He's not the guy who has been bothering you, right?" she said politely, blushing. "The stalker! You mentioned a stalker!"

"He wasn't stalking me," Kaiba said firmly, thinking the accurate term should be "hunting". "He just doesn't know how to take 'no' for an answer. We're done here."

His secretary looked as if she was about to protest, but she remained silent, bowing and leaving the room quickly to answer the phone that could be heard ringing on her desk.

Breathing out a stressed sigh, Kaiba reached for Yami's phone and connected it to his computer with a spare cord.

This had better be worth it.

* * *

Yami thunked his head down on his desk, feeling his eyelids ache.  
Tired. Sleepy. Bored.

"ATEM!"

There was a loud clatter from the nearby cubicle and Yami raised his head slowly, his heart thudding nervously in his chest as he wondered what Boro had discovered.  
Maybe he had found Kumi's blog!  
That wouldn't be a first time his coworker found a girl's blog…or porn advertisement.

Boro rushed into his cubicle and crashed forward clumsily, shoving his computer onto the desk and pointing a shaking finger at the screen, "I think she has access to your email, unless you sent this to me just now."

Blinking slowly, Yami leaned forward and scanned her words, holding his breath and hoping for the best.

 _ **How I kept boyfriends around?**_

 _I would give him a gift, or find a way to reciprocate in a way that only he can appreciate._

 _Example: If he always asks me out on dates, I would be sure to ask him out in return and offer to pay._

 _Or if he isn't the gifting type, I will be sure to reciprocate physically, by massaging his penis with my mouth, and that wasn't reciprocated recently so I'm feeling very pent up and angry._

Yami bit his tongue so hard, his eyes watered, and Boro violently shook his shoulder with a clammy hand.

"Hey! Hey, hey! Is this true?! Man, you can't do that! We work with these girls!" his coworker hissed in his ear before giving him a hard thump on the back. "Keep reading!"

Yami nodded weakly and did as he was told, feeling his arms and legs growing numb.

 _ **Favorite outfit to wear while studying**_

 _(same answer as before. Fuck you. Nobody cares what I wear while I study.)_

 _ **What I look for in a man I hope to marry**?_

 _He needs to be considerate and thoughtful, having my best interests at heart. He needs to look after me, but also manages to look after himself. I want to be my own person, but having his emotional support is crucial._

"A serious answer," Yami whispered, feeling his head spin with a mixture of amusement and nausea.

"No, keep reading," his coworker said darkly, scrolling down to the last question. "There. This."

 _ **Most annoying trait I've encountered in a man**_

 _Men who are clingy and rely on me too much._

 _I especially despise clingy, spikey-haired, perverted men, who follow me around with a camera asking for photos of my hands and hairstyles, but has never properly asked me out on a date with flowers or even words. Instead, he covers his face and mumbles that he wants to go out with me._  
 _How annoying, am I right?_

"Oh." Yami said stupidly, seeing the words blur across the screen mightily.  
Did Kumi do this on purpose?  
She could've sent the email back in the same thread as a reply, but no, she had to send it to Boro.  
She wanted this.  
She wanted to humiliate him.

This behavior was…oddly familiar.

"You are crazy, you know that?" his coworker said darkly, copying the text and pasting it into a new box. "Where do you find these girls? Nevermind. We're going to edit this right here before sending it to Miss Watanabe. She's going to think this is less funny."

"Okay," Yami answered, still numb with shock and unable to feel his own body. "Just take out the…inappropriate parts."

"That's her entire answer," Boro sighed, deleting the paragraph underneath 'men who are clingy'. "But I suppose that's fine. All of her previous answers were short and to the point."

"And after 'reciprocating physically', just say…" Yami blinked rapidly, willing himself to remain composed as images of her head between his legs flashed through his mind. "…reciprocating with a massage. Remove everything after that."

"Already done," his coworker growled, and the computer was lifted off his desk.

Yami watched him leave, and his panic returned tenfold, causing his lungs to tighten.

Kaiba.  
He needed to find Kaiba right now, so that he could track Kumi down and get his phone back.

Rising nervously to his feet, Yami snatched his jacket off the back of his chair and ran nose-first into his manager.

"Atem…heading out again? Without your camera gear?"

"I…yes," Yami said nervously, eyeing the elevator desperately.

"I see," his manager said gruffly, stepping aside to let him through. "Your mockup looks good. That's the only reason you can leave early today. Boro-san will cover your meeting spot again if needed."

Yami nodded stiffly, wondering why his supervisor was suddenly being so nice, but he brushed it off and bowed stiffly, waiting for him to walk by before he straightened up again and dashed to the elevators.

* * *

The phone on Kaiba's desk rung sharply, and he waited three rings before he picked it up, tapping 'save' on his computer before speaking.

"What."

His bodyguard from the first floor spoke quickly into the receiver.

"Mr. Kaiba. Mr. Mutou is requesting access to the top floor, says he has a meeting with you, sir."

 _He doesn't, but about time he showed his face here,_ Kaiba thought mildly, saying, "let him up," before hanging up swiftly.

Standing slowly and stretching, Kaiba took several long strides around his office, feeling his palms sweating with anticipation.

What was his goal here?

To make Yami go crazy.

 _But why?_ A small voice asked in the back of his mind. _I'm the one that's acting crazy._

 _I'm doing this for fun, for payback_ , Kaiba growled to himself, continuing to pace, wondering what 'payback' Yami deserved.

Meanwhile in the elevator, Yami stood silently beside the bodyguard. He folded his arms stiffly across his chest, deep in thought.

Dealing with Kaiba was always a give-and-take.

What did he have to give this time?

Nothing.

No, wait. That was untrue.  
Kaiba wanted to tease him about being a virgin.  
He could bargain that.  
Kaiba also wanted physical contact.  
He could also bargain that.

 _I'm bargaining myself,_ Yami realized, wondering why he didn't feel more conflicted about it.

Well, it was for a good cause. It was for…Kumi, right?

"Step out," the man beside him commanded, and Yami quickly obliged.

The pretty woman at the front desk sprang to her feet and bowed quickly.

Yami nodded politely at her and moved towards the double-wide doors, pointing inside. "May I?"

"Yes," she said, nodding variously, her cheeks slightly pink, and she watched him step into the office quietly and close the door behind him with a soft _clack!_

Patting her face with her hands, she sat back down quickly and stared blankly at her computer.

That was the second time she had seen Yami this month.

Was something happening?

Kaiba had just sat down behind his desk when Yami entered, and he found that it was easier to smile at his rival now.

Yami stood by the door, gathering his nerve before striding forward purposefully and circling Kaiba's desk.

Kaiba leaned back in his seat, alarmed when Yami approached him too fast too quickly, and suddenly, arms were around his neck and Yami's lips were pressed against his.

Frozen in place, Kaiba's stomach churned with arousal while he briefly wondered if he should push Yami off.

 _But why?_ The small voice in the back of his head asked, and his lips burned pleasantly when Yami's tongue slid sensually over his bottom lip and padded lightly at the fronts of his teeth. Yami's breath was dangerously sweet, and there was an odd desperation to his actions.

His head spun while his chest buzzed with a familiar warmth each time Yami tried to deepen the kiss, and after a moment, Yami pulled away breathlessly, his cheeks flushed red and his angular eyes bright with determination.

"Now you do something for me," Yami said without missing a beat, and the pleasant warmth in Kaiba's chest shattered.

What the fuck. Way to kill a mood.

"Not interested," Kaiba enunciated, reaching forward to pull Yami closer for another kiss, but Yami dodged him cleverly, edging away and circling back to the front of his desk.

"I need you to find the girl again," Yami ignored Kaiba's comment and willed his pounding heart to calm down. His cheeks burned pleasantly and his lips throbbed strangely but he ignored it. He needed to stay true to his goal: finding Kumi and getting his phone back.

"No," Kaiba said coldly, his annoyance rising.  
What the fuck was Yami thinking? Why could he never figure it out?  
So the kiss was a pre-payment for finding "the girl"?!  
What the fuck was the meaning of that kiss if he was just going barge in here demanding to see Kumi?  
This was fucking bullshit!

"I need her address, or where you last found her," Yami said anxiously, folding his arms across his chest firmly, unable to look Kaiba in the eye. "And give me her phone number again. I know you still have it."

"What the fuck is your problem?" Kaiba hissed, resisting the urge to slam his fist down on his desk. "She doesn't like you back. Give up."

"Even if she doesn't, she has my phone!" Yami said haughtily, gazing fixedly at a billboard of Miyo-chan's sparkling water ad framed by several nearby buildings in the view of Domino just outside Kaiba's window.

"How about a new phone?" Kaiba suggested, thinking his tone sounded nasty, but he was acting on what he had written as answers for the magazine questions earlier. _'Give him a gift'_ , right?

"No, a new phone won't replace all the contacts I have in my old phone," Yami answered keenly, turning him down gracefully. "No thank you."

"Fine," Kaiba fumed, rolling his eyes and propping his elbows up on his desk stiffly. "If I find her, I'll tell her to mail your phone back through the post. _If._ "

Yami relaxed visibly and smiled warmly, "Thank you."

Kaiba grit his teeth and was about to say, 'you're fucking welcome', but Yami had already turned around and was walking quickly to the door.

Offended, Kaiba rose to his feet angrily. "Where the fuck are you going?"

Yami blinked, wondering if he was misunderstanding anything, and he didn't turn look behind him before answering, "See you later, Kaiba."

There was a long silence.

"Aren't you going to stay for lesson two?" Kaiba asked tersely, feeling his head rush strangely, causing his ears to hum.

"Lesson…two?" Yami repeated incredulously, wondering if he was going mad. Who knew that Kaiba was actually being serious about those kissing lessons?!

"Yeah, lesson two," Kaiba said, making a huge effort to keep his expression neutral, watching Yami's expression change rapidly.

"What's lesson two?" Yami asked with great difficulty, and he tightened his grip over the door knob.

Kaiba smiled thinly when he realized Yami was interested, so he picked his jacket up off the back of his chair and flung it carelessly on over his shoulders, pointing at the door. "Let's go. It's a date."

Yami blinked, standing very still as Kaiba strode out the door before him, leaving him alone in the middle of the office, suddenly feeling very small.

Did he hear that right? Kaiba wanted to take him out…on a date?!

* * *

 **Author's note:**

LOLOLOL :D  
ooo a kaiba yami daate! (finally ugh lol)

edited by: setokaibaes/marshmallons

please consider leaving a comment for my sanity and motivationnnn :D

hugs,  
Ugli


	10. Where do I go?

Yami's feet followed Kaiba against his own will, out of the office and to the elevators.

"A…date. Kaiba—" he began, and was cut off by an excited gasp from the woman at the desk sitting behind him.

"A date!" she cried, shifting excitedly in her chair and giving them an energetic wave. "I'll cancel your meetings for the rest of the day, Mr. Kaiba!"

Horrified, Yami stepped into the elevator beside Kaiba without a word and risked a glance up at his blue-eyed rival, stunned to discover that his face was impassive as ever.

"I'm not going on a date with you," Yami said indignantly, his chest tight with anxiety. "Don't be ridiculous."

Kaiba's stomach tightened with annoyance and anger after hearing this. He grit his teeth, mentally counted to five before responding, "Then enjoy disappointing her."

The elevator sank lower, taking with it Yami's spirits, and he frowned at his reflection in the elevator's glass wall.  
Was this Kaiba's strange way of offering to help?

The elevator reached the ground floor and the doors slid open. Kaiba stepped out first and walked quickly to his car, purposely leaving Yami behind.

He could feel his own anger beginning to rise.  
Why was Yami's behavior so infuriating?

"Wait…Kaiba. Kaiba!" Yami's voice echoed around the parking structure, his footsteps approaching quickly from behind as he caught up. "Fine. Thank you…for your help. What do you suggest?"

"No, what do _you_ suggest?" Kaiba sneered, whirling around and finally losing what little patience he had. "You're the one taking her out. So? Where would be a good place for a date?"

Yami straightened up and stared defiantly into his eyes, speaking with such confidence, it almost made Kaiba cringe. "I don't know. I thought you were going to show me somewhere."

Kaiba felt his eyelid twitch and he swallowed thickly.

Somehow, his rival who had always managed to soundly kick his ass up and down the dueling arena was now an incompetent fool when it came to romance.

"Insufficient answer," Kaiba managed through his clenched jaw, and he curled his fingers around his car keys. "Pretend…that I am her. And…"

Kaiba took a deep breath, feeling his head spin with incredulity at his own words, and he pointed at his own car, watching Yami's eyes widen.

"…and just imagine that this car, _my car_ , is yours. Where are you taking her?"

Yami folded his arms across his chest, giving Kaiba a defiant look before saying, "You're lending me your car to take her out on a date?"

"Maybe," Kaiba seethed, now properly angry. "Come on, decide, where are you driving me—…us?"

"…Off a cliff?" Yami offered unhelpfully, his gaze roaming around the parking garage, beginning to look bored. "I don't know, Kaiba. The few times I _have_ driven, I didn't go anywhere that was date-worthy—"

"I'm done." Kaiba rolled his eyes and clicked the button on his keys, seeing the headlights flash while the doors unlocked. "We've been debating where to go for the past ten minutes, standing here, going fucking nowhere. Go home and stop wasting my time."

"Wait…give me a moment to look it up!" Yami cried angrily, patting his pockets with an exaggerated motion. "And…I don't have my phone!"

They glared at each other for a moment before Kaiba looked away to climb into the driver's seat of his car.

Yami stared angrily at the red tail lights, his annoyance rising to an all-time high.

He thought Kaiba would be more inclined to drive something sportier than this car. This car was ugly. It was big, for starters, and even though it bore a foreign badge, there were four doors.  
If anything, Kumi drove a cooler car!  
Kaiba's car didn't even look like the roof would come down.  
How awfully boring.

The window rolled down and Kaiba stuck his head out, looking incensed. "Get in!"

Why the fuck was Yami just standing there behind his car like an idiot?

Yami clenched his fists and strode forward to pull the car door open, throwing himself begrudgingly into the passenger seat before slamming the door shut with a tight click.

 _"…Because I have to do everything,"_ Kaiba hissed under his breath, backing out of the parking space with an ear-splitting screech and peeling off down the aisle between parked cars.

"You offered to help," Yami replied loftily, crossing his legs and folding his arms, settling comfortably in the seat. "Are you really lending me your car? What do I have to give you in return?"

Kaiba said nothing and gripped the wheel tighter, using all his remaining resolve to keep his foot steady on the pedal, because the urge to drive recklessly and angrily was high.

Yami waited patiently for an answer, fully aware that Kaiba was privately fuming.

He gazed out the window and couldn't help but think that this car was quite nice on the inside, even if the outside looked a bit…unassuming, which was unusual for Kaiba. Yami would've thought he enjoyed driving eye-catching vehicles.

"Do you…perhaps have another car?" Yami asked hopefully, wondering how much he could push his luck, and he felt the car lurch violently at a red light.

This was a good question because first, he knew it would offend Kaiba deeply.  
Second, this was also a good way of saying, "lend me your cheapest car," but Yami doubted Kaiba would hear it that way.  
But third, it was more likely that Kaiba would think that he was saying this car wasn't good enough.

Kaiba gripped the wheel so hard, his knuckles burned. Was the pharaoh…seriously asking to borrow a car from his… _collection?!_ Hell to the no.

"You…" Kaiba growled, easing the car forward as the light turned green. "…Are you trying to sound ungrateful?!"

Yami leaned back into the seat with pleasant surprise. "So you _are_ lending me this car?"

"What's wrong with taking the train, like a regular peasant?" Kaiba shot back nastily, unable to bring himself to say the word 'yes'.

"Understood," Yami replied mildly, watching the trees zip by outside while the car sped down an unfamiliar stretch of highway. "I didn't think you would lend me your car anyway...or any car for that matter. Where are you taking us?"

He received no answer from his rival, so they rode in silence for a few minutes before Yami tried asking again.

"Kaiba, where are we going?"

"…Off a cliff," Kaiba answered spitefully, biting the inside of his cheek as he wondered if he was going to regret driving Yami out this far.

There were still a few miles to go because they were quite far away from their destination…. They might sooner die in an accident while bickering.

Yami decided that it was best to say nothing for now, so he contented himself with observing the scenery outside. It was a clear day with a few white clouds barely visible in the sky, and he could see a strip of blue ocean in the distance.

Wait. Were they going to the…beach?! This time of year? It was freezing! This wasn't the right season at all.

They got closer and closer to the oceanside, and Yami gazed restlessly out of his window. It was beautiful, but there was no one around.

Kaiba pulled the car into a visible notch in the road and shut the engine off.

"Get out."

Yami tucked his tongue into his cheek and climbed out, stretching his stiff legs. Interesting. This was a section of ocean he hadn't been to before.

Thick foliage surrounded the opening to the water, and he let Kaiba lead the way through the brush, stepping over stray rocks, patches of mud, wet logs, and low-hanging tree branches, almost hitting his head on one that Kaiba had ducked under.

There was barely a trail here for pedestrians.  
Was this…legal? It felt like they were trespassing.

"Is there another way?" Yami called, barely able to see Kaiba's back through the thicket. After several steps, the branches thinned, and the trail beneath their feet grew sandy.

He raced to catch up with Kaiba, pleased to see that they had arrived at a beautiful, sparking beachfront that was deserted.

It was unusually quiet, except for the occasional lapping of the waves at shore, and Yami took several deep breaths, cleansing his lungs with the fresh air.

"A private beach? Or is this open to the public?" Yami asked, slightly irked at how often his questions were being ignored, but to his relief, Kaiba replied to this.

"It's public."

 _For me,_ Kaiba thought stiffly, carefully planning his next steps in his mind. Yami was willing to "pay him back", so would one blowjob or two be enough to cover the expense for lending out the car?

"Right, then who lives up there?" Yami asked with rising doubt, pointing at the sparkling waterfront house propped up on a small cliff behind them. Its tall windows sparkled back at him in the sun that was already sitting low in the sky, and his stomach churned with nervousness.

"Don't know, don't care," Kaiba responded carelessly, moving towards the water and sitting down in the sand, stretching his legs out comfortably. "Now this is what you'd call a sufficient date spot."

"It's freezing. She'll hate it," Yami said plainly, recalling Kumi's penchant for short skirts and revealing tops with mesh. But this was a good place for photos….  
Damn. How he wished for his phone!

"Bring her a blanket," Kaiba growled and then spitefully added, "So you can fuck on top of it."

Yami gave Kaiba a half-amused look, smiling handsomely. "Of course."

"Sit down," Kaiba said irritably, biting back a smile, and he kept his gaze firmly on the water's edge. "You're an awful date."

"Right," Yami said absently, moving to sit beside Kaiba with surprising swiftness. "I would sit like this with her on a blanket. Then when it gets cold, I could drape my arm around her."

Kaiba threw his head back and let out a laugh that echoed up and down the beach. "Not in a million fucking years, but you could try!"

"Shut up," Yami growled, his cheeks burning with determination while he casually hooked his around Kaiba's neck and roughly pulled him close to his side. "It would be like this."

"You'd fail," Kaiba replied coldly, giving Yami a playful shove and seeing him fall over onto his side in the sand. "She'd push you away for trying that cheesy bullshit on her."

"You wouldn't know that!" Yami argued, brushing the sand off his sleeve irritably. "You're no help."

"What you should do is bring a second blanket." Kaiba smirked, throwing Yami a sly smile, his heart skipping a beat when their eyes met, and he looked away quickly. "So you fuck under that, while the first blanket is what you lay on top of."

"Stop being indecent," Yami hissed, his cheeks burning at the memory of Kumi's long brown hair splayed between his thighs, and he felt himself grow even more embarrassed.

There was a moment of comfortable silence accompanied by the sound of rushing waves.

"We haven't gotten passed kissing," Yami said quietly, and Kaiba bit his tongue painfully.

Really?! Had Yami forgotten about the dick-sucking he had received?

"Lame," Kaiba managed as a response, but his blood was boiling. How… _irritating!_

"Kissing her is...difficult," Yami said, wondering why his mouth was still moving and saying such incriminating things. "I can never tell what she's thinking!"

"Lame," Kaiba repeated, growing increasingly more frustrated by the second.

There was another long bout of silence, except this time, the air was charged with mild anger and annoyance.

"So I would put my arm around her like this," Yami repeated, throwing his arm around Kaiba's shoulders and curling his fingers into his arm tightly, intent on getting the most out of using Kaiba as a stand-in for Kumi. They were roughly the same height….

"Get your inexperienced hands…off of me…." Kaiba said stiffly, but Yami ignored him and leaned in dangerously close to his face, his nose inches away from his cheek.

"And then I would pull her in for a kiss."

Kaiba tensed, daring himself to turn his head to the side, and he threw caution to the wind, seizing his chance to kiss Yami soundly on the lips, keeping his eyes open and watching Yami's eyes widen frantically in response.

Soft. His lips were so soft.

Yami's stomach twisted violently with arousal the moment their lips connected and felt Kaiba's tongue graze the fronts of his teeth, and he inadvertently unclenched his jaw, letting the warm silkiness envelope him completely. His mind was going blank and his ears were humming with a strange sound that blended in with the roaring of the ocean waves.

Strange…how strange. Kissing Kaiba was just as arousing as kissing Kumi.

Wildly confused, Yami's eyelids fluttered shut when he could no longer keep them open the second Kaiba's lips traveled to his cheek, his breath grazed wonderfully across his skin. Warm lips moved in a steady triangle over his face, brushing over each of his eyelids with a feather-like touch before moving back down to kiss him on the mouth again.

 _A new…technique?_ Yami wondered blurrily, feeling his own arm behave as if it wasn't attached to himself, reaching out to pull Kaiba closer.

Breathless and eager for more, Kaiba's free hand slid up Yami's calf, and he gave it a wonderful squeeze, enjoying the way the muscles felt under his hand. Damn, he wanted to hook Yami's knee up on his shoulder and push him down with reckless abandon, but he held back, letting Yami tentatively explore his mouth with the tip of his tongue. Kaiba shivered pleasantly, enjoying himself thoroughly. Maybe…just maybe, if Yami liked this enough, he would forget about Kumi.

Kaiba felt Yami surge forward and push him down, and his back hit the sand with a painful _thump!_

He gazed breathlessly up at Yami, enjoying the way his angular violet eyes seemed to burn right through him. Good…this was fucking good! They were getting somewhere!

"Now what?" Yami asked plainly, his ears burning, and Kaiba felt the mood shatter in an instant.

"You do what you fucking want," Kaiba hissed, his boner aching in his pants, and he twitched his knee, wondering if he could push Yami down instead and fuck him in the mouth. That would teach him a lesson.

"But…that's not considered polite," Yami countered, keeping Kaiba firmly pinned down by the shoulders, and he made sure to dig his knees into the sand at either side of Kaiba's waist.

Kaiba stared blankly up at his rival, feeling a bubble of delirious laughter threatening to burst out of his chest.

"You wrap your hands around her neck—" Kaiba began, but before he could finish, Yami had thrown himself forward and inched his arms behind his neck, still hovering awkwardly above him.

"And?"

"Not that way," Kaiba managed, still biting back laughter, enjoying Yami's confusion.

"Which way?" Yami growled, slipping his hands out from underneath Kaiba and pressing them down flat on his chest, ignoring the way firm muscles ripped beneath his palms.

"Which way do you think?" Kaiba said, smiling devilishly, "Women will love it if you can figure it out."

"Yeah, I've got it," Yami glared, wrapping his hands around Kaiba's neck in a choking motion. "Like this, right?"

"Right," Kaiba replied, his body shaking with repressed laughter. "Then tighten slowly while squeezing. Don't stop until she's blue in the face."

He finally burst out laughing, feeling Yami's weight leave his body and a spray of sand caught him across the legs, seeping quickly in through the top of his shoes and sinking into his socks.

"Fuck!" Kaiba cried, rolling over onto his side and giving his legs a stiff kick, attempting to dislodge the sand from his shoes. "You can't take a joke!"

"I'm being serious, Kaiba!" came the furious yell in response, and Kaiba sat up slowly, seeing Yami's spiky-haired outline at the water's edge, giving the wet sand a frustrated kick.

"What do you even see in her?" Kaiba called, staring out at the horizon and seeing the water glitter back at him bright pink and orange while the sun began to set quickly.

He resisted the urge to add, "she doesn't even talk" but held back.  
Revealing that he knew was a bad idea…for now anyway.

"She's you, but better," came the confident response, and Kaiba's heart stopped in his chest for a solid minute.

What.

What.

What did Yami just say?!

"As if," Kaiba managed, and Yami turned to give him a fiery look over his shoulder, his cheeks visibly pink even from a distance.

"Truth," Yami replied firmly, returning from the water's edge with a smooth shell. "Now give me your phone. I need a photo of this sunset."

"Payment first," Kaiba shot back nastily, his mind consumed with questions about how his female alter ego was somehow better than himself as a male.

"I'll kiss you again, after," Yami coaxed, holding his hand out expectantly. "Quickly now, the sun is slipping away."

"Payment…first." Kaiba enunciated, pressing his hand down over his phone in his pocket, watching Yami's eyes follow his hands. Fuck. Would Yami recognize his hands? After all, he had spent an inordinate amount of time photographing them.

Yami wasn't looking at Kaiba's hand covering his phone, but at the noticeable bulge in his pants.  
Kaiba was aroused.  
Well, he had learned a new trick from Kumi the other night….  
Would Kaiba appreciate that? Would it be…enough to secure the car too?

Kumi would be so pleased to ride in such a luxurious car! And he wouldn't have to worry about injuring the car while it was in his possession because Kaiba had boatloads of other cars…and money.

Kaiba narrowed his eyes at Yami, glancing between the top of his hand and Yami's oddly blank expression.

Suddenly, Yami knelt in the sand before him and looked as if he about to apologize.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Kaiba asked nervously, watching his spiky-haired rival carefully, feeling his own heart thudding frantically inside his chest.

Yami curled his fingers over his knees, his ears ringing with a tinny sound as he stared at the bulge inside Kaiba's pants.

"Yeah bow your head, you're almost there," Kaiba said sarcastically, wondering what the hell had gotten into Yami. "Make sure your forehead touches the sand."

There was a brief moment of silence, and Kaiba curled his fingers into the cold sand as Yami crept towards him on all fours with his head lowered so much, his blonde bangs obscured his eyes.

Frozen in place, Kaiba watched Yami reach out slowly to grab him by the ankle and tighten his grip firmly against his pants, speaking in a voice so low, the sound was lost against the crashing ocean waves behind them.

"What?" Kaiba snapped, wondering if he ought to jerk his leg back. "Say it louder. I can't hear you."

Yami grit his teeth and wordlessly inched his hand up Kaiba's leg, his head spinning with guilty memories of Kumi-san's legs dressed wonderfully in black tights.

Kaiba wore tight-fitting pants. It was almost the same, which meant that this act…would benefit everyone.

Unsure of where this logic was coming from, Yami surged forward and grabbed at Kaiba's belt, unbuckling it with ease.

Kaiba did not struggle or even move a finger. He bit the inside of his cheek, deeply aroused at the sight of Yami between his legs, sliding the zipper downwards.

Breathing heavily, Kaiba managed to speak after flinching slightly from Yami's hands grabbing at his length through his underwear, "Honestly. You're doing this before you've mastered kissing?"

"Shut…up," Yami answered through gritted teeth, his entire body burning as he wondered what had possessed him to behave like this. He liked women, not men, and yet, his hand was resting tensely on Kaiba's erection.

"Give up," Kaiba said, wishing with all his might that Yami would continue, and he bit his own tongue.  
Why could he never give words of encouragement?

Yami wasn't paying attention to Kaiba's reactions and had fully retreated into his own mind. He yanked the band of Kaiba's underwear down until it exposed the top half of his erection and he tentatively wrapped his hand around it, feeling the heat pulse erotically beneath his fingertips.  
Wow.  
He had never in a million years pictured himself doing something like this, but this was strangely…exciting, and fun. He gave the head a playful squeeze and watched as a bead of precum leaked out from Kaiba's slit, and he blinked once, silencing the tiny voice in the back of his mind that was screaming at him, telling him that this was Seto Kaiba's penis he was touching…in public, and in the middle of a beach no less!

Kaiba grew lightheaded when Yami gave him a firm stroke upwards and he decided to give in the wonderful heat rising from his groin. He threw his head back and shut his eyes, enjoying the way Yami tugged playfully at his foreskin and rubbed it over his leaking tip, sending more jolts of fire searing up and down his body.

Yami tilted his head to the side curiously, his gaze never leaving Kaiba's center. He reached out with both hands to further lower his underwear, and he was met with an unsatisfied hiss.

"I don't want sand in my ass," Kaiba growled, his hands tightening around Yami's slender wrists, and his rival stared at him for a long moment before nodding stiffly.

"It's…a bit difficult…." Yami said hoarsely. The skin on his hand was burning, seemingly glued to Kaiba's length, and his embarrassment began to rise. He couldn't bring himself to stop now…but the band of the underwear was in his way!

"Use your mouth," Kaiba replied nastily, and Yami dove headfirst into his crotch before he could compose himself. It seemed his rival wasn't going to hesitate, and that thought made his stomach dip violently.

Yami's forehead pressed warmly against Kaiba's lower stomach and his chin grazed the head of Kaiba's penis erotically. That action earned him a surprised gasp from above, and this spurred him on to flick his tongue out to taste the precum that sat wetly on Kaiba's slit.

"S-St—fuck!" Kaiba hissed, bringing his hands down into Yami's spiky hair and pushing his head down lower onto his heated length, wishing Yami would stop being so shy and just suck his dick already.

Yami's eyes watered in pain from the way Kaiba's fingernails dug into his scalp, and he shut his eyes, finally managing to convince himself to clamp his lips around the head of Kaiba's dick and gave him a firm suck, feeling Kaiba's legs convulsing and shaking at either side of his head.

Amazing…Kaiba was reacting this much…from just this?

His mind humming pleasantly, Yami was beginning to understand how Kumi was able to suck him off in the parking lot. Because here, with his head buried between Kaiba's legs, with the scent of Kaiba's musk mixed in with the salt of the ocean spray around him, was enough to make him wet at the tip too.

Yami let out a happy huff of air and pressed his head down lower, attempting to take more of Kaiba's length into his mouth, but the band of underwear caught stubbornly underneath his chin. Resigning himself to the fact that Kaiba's underwear was going to be in the way forever, Yami contented himself with licking, sucking, and bobbing his head up and down along Kaiba's dick, enjoying the sharp gasps or irritated hisses his rival would make every time he did something particularly pleasurable.

Kaiba could barely keep his eyes open, and the darkening sky kept flashing in his vision every time he blinked. It seemed Yami could only reach the top half of his dick because the underwear was restricting his movements, but everything felt amazing. The way Yami reciprocated with what he had learned was amazing. A wonderful silky tongue kept sliding up and down along the underside of his dick, causing more shivers of pleasure to rack his body until he couldn't take it anymore. Kaiba held his breath tightly, trying to fight off the rising orgasm as he reached out to pat Yami on the shoulder to let him know that he was about to cum, but he was soundly ignored.

Yami was enjoying himself immensely. What he liked the most about this experience was the way he could control Kaiba with just the tip of his tongue. He could feel Kaiba tensing and shuddering happily beneath him, clearly also enjoying himself.  
There was a sudden stillness in Kaiba's movements before thick cum flooded Yami's entire mouth, coating his tongue and the roof of his mouth before dripping right back out through the fronts of his teeth.

"Fuck! It got in my…fuck!" Kaiba managed through gritted teeth, his vision blurring at the sight of Yami dutifully bobbing his head up and down between his legs, attempting to clean up the mess by licking it up.

The taste was sour and bitter, but Yami steeled himself to continue, even going as far as digging his fingers down into Kaiba's underwear and deftly scooping the semen out as much as he could.

Dizzy, Kaiba watched Yami rise to his feet slowly and dash off towards the water's edge. He let out the breath he had been holding and laid back into the sand with a solid thump, his heart pounding furiously in his chest while his balls ached with a strange pressure.  
Wow. That had been…well, it wasn't bad.

Yami tried his best to even his breathing while he soaked his entire hand into the ocean water, his fingers instantly going numb from the icy cold. His lips and tongue itched with a strange fire, as if asking for…more.

The thought horrified Yami, but his stomach twisted happily in arousal as if answering his dirty thoughts with an enthusiastic "yes"!

Shaking the water out of his hands, he patted it around his cheeks and chin, gently using the wet end of his sleeve to clean his lips.

Was sucking another man's dick considered a sex act? Had he lost his virginity like that?  
It didn't count…right?

A particularly large wave rolled threateningly towards him, and Yami backed away quickly, returning to the safety of dry sand.

Kaiba was lying on his back, with his legs still splayed apart and his pants undone, and Yami's cheeks reddened instantly.

That wasn't an arousing sight.

….That _was_ an arousing sight.

Kaiba heard Yami's soft footsteps approaching, and he quickly struggled to sit up, reaching down to button himself up with a great effort, secretly wishing Yami could've reached low enough to suck his balls. Maybe that's why he ached down there. It felt like ages since he had had a violent, pleasurable cum.

Yami stood apprehensively beside Kaiba, unsure of what to say.  
He watched Kaiba stand and shake the sand out of his shirt and throw him a dazzling smile. "Thanks. I needed that."

Breathing heavily, Yami felt as if an invisible hand had reached into his chest to give his heart a painful squeeze, and he barely managed to answer with an uncertain, "You're…you're welcome?"

Kaiba gave the back of his hair a rough tousle, feeling sand cascading down the back of his shirt, and he cursed loudly. Great. Sand was everywhere in his clothes.

He patted his pocket and fished out his car keys, tossing them towards Yami without warning and watching them hit his chest before falling to the sand with a soft _clink!_

Yami stood there, dumbstruck, wondering why Kaiba had just thrown keys at him in an attempt to…hurt him?

"You're driving us back," Kaiba demanded, patting his sand-covered ass in irritation, still feeling sand sticking to his pants. "I can't drive like this."

Yami nodded silently, opening his mouth to speak, but discovered that his voice had died from shock in this throat.

He bent down slowly to pick up the keys and he stared at them in the semi-darkness, his mind churning with turmoil.

Was this…right?  
Was this ethical?  
It seemed like he was essentially trading sex acts for material things from Kaiba, to ultimately impress Kumi.  
But he had done the act well, so this meant he had…deserved it? And what would Kumi say if she knew the lengths to which he went to acquire such luxuries for their dates?

"Hey…hey!" Kaiba snapped, clapping his hands in front of Yami's dazed expression. "You do know how to drive, don't you? …Pharaoh?"

"I can…I know how to drive," Yami answered faintly, curling his knuckles around the keys so tightly, his skin burned. "Thank you, Kaiba."

"Shut up before I change my mind," Kaiba replied shrewdly, stalking off towards the underbrush and turning his phone on to use as a flashlight in the growing darkness.

Yami followed quickly and they made their way easily through the brush before arriving at the vehicle, which was still at the side of the road where they'd left it.

Kaiba circled the car methodically and rested his hand on the white handle, waiting for it to unlock. After a moment, the car lights flashed and he yanked the door open, grateful to be on his way home.

Incredulous, Yami stood beside the closed passenger door, watching Kaiba climb enthusiastically into his own car. So odd. So odd!

Why did everything suddenly feel so incredibly normal?! He had just performed a sex act on Kaiba, and his rival was behaving normally, expecting him to be mentally present enough for a long drive back into the city?  
Was this a test of sorts?

"Get in!" Kaiba shouted, opening the door a crack, wondering why Yami was just standing by the door like an idiot.

Yami snapped out of his thoughts and climbed into the car with shaking legs. He attempted to stick the key into the ignition, but he fumbled and almost dropped them, his skin burning from Kaiba's intense stare.

"Keyless start, don't bother," Kaiba drawled, reaching forward to yank the keys out of Yami's hand and pressing a puffy button on the center of the key, causing the engine to roar to life. "Now go."

Nodding stiffly, Yami eased the car out of the space and set off down the road, wondering why he felt so…normal.

It was comfortable. The seat was soft and plushy. The windows were large, so his visibility was great, and Yami understood that this was a safe car to drive long distances in. If this was the car Kaiba was lending him, Kumi would be very comfortable.

Kaiba settled into the passenger seat and folded his arms across his chest, shifting uncomfortably from the way his underwear was sticking to his balls.  
Whatever. That had been worth it. He would think back on it and have a satisfying private jerk-off session.

He watched Yami's movements at the wheel very carefully, intrigued.  
This wasn't too bad at all.  
The pharaoh's driving was smooth and practiced.  
Yami should drive him around more often.

Beginning to feel sleepy, Kaiba let himself close his eyes, vowing to wake up in five minutes.

* * *

Yami pulled down the private road leading to the Kaiba property, and he came to a gentle stop at the black gates.

Glancing over to the passenger seat, Yami realized with shock that Kaiba had fallen asleep. Mildly pleased at this, he wondered if he should fish Kaiba's phone out of his pocket to call Isono before the gate began to inch forwards, opening to let them in.

Satisfied, Yami smiled to himself and drove the car carefully towards the sparkling blue fountain at the front of Kaiba's mansion. He could see the slim figure of Isono standing beside the fountain, and he wondered where he should park the car.

Around the fountain where he usually saw the limousines?

The car stopped right beside the fountain with uncanny precision, and Isono watched with increasing confusion as a spiky-haired person climbed out of the driver's seat, and not Mr. Kaiba.

He rushed forward and bowed, secretly wondering if Mr. Kaiba was out on another one of his…excursions.

Yami bowed back stiffly, pointing into the passenger's side. "Should I wake him?"

"I'm awake," Kaiba groaned, palming his face in exhaustion and climbing out of the car. "Come upstairs with me for a second."

Yami blinked rapidly, wondering what it could possibly be, because he was feeling quite tired now, and was stiff from having driven the car for an hour and half.

"Can it wait?" Yami asked lightly, and Kaiba shook his head, already heading up the marble steps into his home.

Sighing, Yami followed Kaiba into the house, hearing Isono let out a strange tutting noise.

"Ah-Ah…Mr. Mutou, the keys?"

"Ignore him!" Kaiba shouted from the doorway and disappearing in through the front door. "Yami…hurry the fuck up!"

Isono and Yami stood there awkwardly staring at each other for a long moment before Yami shrugged half-heartedly and stuck the car keys into his pocket before marching up the front steps.

Hastily kicking his shoes off at the door, Yami half-ran up the grand staircase after Kaiba's disappearing shadow, feeling his thighs and shoulders ache with stiffness and exhaustion.

Yami walked boldly into Kaiba's room and stood irritably before him, watching the CEO rifle through papers in one of his desk drawers.

"What is it Kaiba?" Yami asked impatiently. The sight of Kaiba's large king bed was making him even more tired. "I want to go home."

"Here, I found it," Kaiba replied, looking equally as worn out, and he slid a manila folder across the surface of his desk towards Yami, feeling his balls itching like crazy from the dried semen. "Just take these. I need a fucking wash, now."

Yami stared blankly at the folder as Kaiba pushed past him and locked himself in the bathroom with a resounding click.

He picked the envelope up from the desk cautiously and flipped it open, his incredulity rising as he stared at the papers.

These were documents…for the car!

Wait. Were these papers he needed to sign to solidify the terms of the loan?

Frowning, Yami flipped through the stack, his heart almost stopping in his chest when he realized it was service records and…the deed to the car.

Kaiba was giving him _ownership papers_ to the car!

His head swimming, Yami stared at the number of zeros in the sale price at the top of the page, unable to stomach amount.

This car cost as much as a small country…! Kaiba had just handed him the legal papers without blinking and left the room.

Striding to the bathroom door, Yami gave it a furious knock, shouting through it, "Are you insane, Kaiba?! I can't take these papers with me!"

"Yes you can!" Kaiba shouted back through the sound of rushing water, his voice echoing hollowly. "Unless you want to be arrested for 'stealing' my property. Now either get lost…or come in!"

Tucking his tongue between his teeth, Yami's cheeks burned pleasantly as he shouted back, "No thank you!" and he marched out of Kaiba's room, feeling as if he was walking on air.

Was this a dream? Or a prank? This was almost too good to be true! He had done Kaiba a small service with his mouth and had gotten a car in return for his troubles.

Shuddering at the thought of what he would receive if he spread for Kaiba, Yami pushed the idea out of his mind and hurried down the grand staircase, aiming to get home as quickly as possible.

* * *

 **Author's note:**

That moment when Yami realizes he's sugaring to fund his kumi obsession (cackles)  
That moment when Kaiba doesn't realize he's being a total sugar daddy.  
That moment when you want to be my sugar daddy  
That moment when you follow me on tumblr

I'm updating next week on Wednesday! Please look forward!  
Edited by Setokaibaes

hugs,  
Ugli


	11. What do I do?

Kaiba toweled his hair dry and stepped out of the bathroom, glancing around his empty room with a twinge of disappointment. He had invited Yami into the shower with him but he'd been rejected.

Didn't matter. He would have plenty of opportunities to catch Yami again later.

Laying down on the bed, Kaiba draped the towel over his shoulders and reached for Kumi's phone inside the nightstand.

Powering it on, he was dismayed to find that there were no messages from Yami.

It took a moment for Kaiba to remember that _he_ had Yami's phone.

Rousing himself slowly, he made his way to his desk and slipped Yami's phone out of the desk drawer. Several unread emails and thirteen missed calls from Yugi popped up in the notifications.

Kaiba sighed and clicked the phone off again.

He was going to return this phone to Yami and stop messing around as Kumi once and for all.

Returning this phone would be his last excuse to go out wearing women's clothes.

* * *

Yami opened his eyes sleepily and gazed up at the bright ceiling, feeling oddly light all over. Had yesterday been a dream?

He instinctively shoved his hand under his pillow to grab his phone, but then realized Kumi still had his phone.

Well…today was the weekend, so hopefully if there was anything urgent, he could check his email on his computer later.

Today was also a great day to drive the car Kaiba had given him!

Leaping out of bed, Yami rushed over to his desk and grabbed the car keys, barely managing to throw on a proper pair of pants before he ran out the door.

Halfway down the stairs, he bumped nose-first into Mai, and he jerked back frantically, his heel catching on the stair behind him, causing him to lose his balance.

Yami landed ass-first onto a step and his tailbone chafed painfully.

"What are you doing?" Mai asked plainly, looking down her nose at him, her face barely visible above her large breasts. "Yugi was worried about you, so I stopped by as a favor."

Yami nodded stiffly and quickly regained his composure, dusting himself off and rising steadily to his feet. "The girl I've been photographing took my phone."

Mai's eyes widened prettily, and she rolled her eyes. "She what? Did she take your phone or steal it? Are you going to get it back? Is that why you're in a rush? Well…go get her!"

"…I don't have a way to contact her," Yami lowered his head shamefully and received a cold, disapproving frown from his friend.

"Seriously?" Mai sighed and shifted her purse on her shoulder, turning to walk back down the stairs. "Well, I guess I'll text Yugi and tell him that a girl stole your phone."

"She didn't steal it!" Yami replied, exasperated, and he followed her down the stairs. "It was an accident. I lent it to her so she could write."

"Write what?" Mai asked, raising her eyebrows skeptically. "When you're doing the magazine interviews, don't _you_ type in her answers?"

"No, no," Yami corrected quickly, realizing he was being misunderstood. "She doesn't speak. She's mute."

They reached the bottom of the stairs and Mai seemed to have stopped listening because her gaze was fixated on the white SUV Kaiba had gifted him. Her mouth dropped open.

"Who drives a car like that and lives in this dump?!" Mai cried, turning to give the building a disdainful look.

"That's my car," Yami said hastily, his cheeks reddening with embarrassment. He jingled the keys in his hand and watched Mai jump in surprise. She pressed a hand to her chest, her cheeks pink with excitement.

"Oh my god! You went out and got yourself one of these?!" Mai rushed forward and tugged at the passenger door handle, climbing in and settling down into the seat, smiling.

Yami carefully approached the car and watched her expressions carefully. Mai shared many personality traits with Kumi now that he really thought about it. They both loved expensive clothes, cars, makeup….

"Get in!" Mai exclaimed, gesturing happily at the steering wheel. "I've never been in one of these! I've only seen them on the lot. Rumor has it they don't even let you drive one until they've seen your bank statement first."

Yami felt a bead of cold sweat trickle down his back as he climbed into the driver's seat and shut the door, mumbling, "…I-Is that so?"

Mai seemed completely engrossed with the buttons on the front panel of the car and her manicured finger was pressing everything in sight while she chattered away. "Had a boyfriend try to actually buy me one of these, and he was shooed off the lot while the employees laughed at him. I guess…"

She glanced thoughtfully at Yami and buckled herself in without finishing her thought.

"What is it?" Yami asked lightly, starting the engine with a roar and carefully backing out of the space, acutely aware of Mai's eyes watching his every move.

"Nevermind." She said simply, folding her hands in her lap. "Oh! Gotta text Yugi."

Yami pulled the car onto the main road, feeling oddly giddy. This was good! He could use Mai as a practice date.

"Where are we going?" Yami snuck a glance over at Mai and saw her fingers flying over her phone before she answered, "…Your place! I mean, the game shop. Yugi is worried about you because you haven't been answering your phone."

"Tell him I'm fine," Yami insisted, easing the car to a gentle stop at a red light, and he heard Mai let out a haughty laugh.

"Okay, I told him you're fine," Mai said, waving her phone playfully before throwing it back into her purse. "Drop me off at my place."

"You got it…" Yami replied warmly, enjoying the way the leather of the wheel felt under his hands.

This was definitely a great start to his day.

* * *

Kaiba heard a knock at his office door and his secretary's voice drifted in through the crack. "Mr. Kaiiiiba! I have it!"

Frowning, Kaiba growled in response, "Just come in. What is it?"

She burst in happily and beamed at him, holding up a magazine and waving it playfully. "A mystery beauty edition!"

Kaiba's breath hitched in his throat while he made sure to keep his expression impassive before responding with, "Don't care."

His secretary stood silently in the middle of the room for a moment, giving him a sympathetic smile.

"Mr. Kaiba, do you perhaps remember my friend, Sasaki-chan?"

"No," Kaiba answered, coldly and swiftly. What the hell was she talking about? What friend?

There was another long silence before his secretary spoke up again, this time sounding politer than ever. "Are you sure? You _really_ don't remember the _one_ dinner date you had with her?"

Kaiba blinked rapidly and carefully hit 'save' on his work before he let the rush of embarrassment consume him.

Well now that she mentioned it, yes.  
Was she referring to that horribly mortifying dinner date eons ago where Yami had shown up to blackmail him?  
And she had left him an embarrassingly transparent note about how she had overheard them talking about how gay he was?

Deciding to say nothing, Kaiba raised his head to give his secretary a defiant look, and it was met with a warm smile.

She waved the magazine again, pointing at brightly colored tabs, sounding nonplussed. "I already marked the pages for you."

Kaiba grit his teeth so hard, his jaw ached. So…word had spread about him being gay. Perfect. Just what he needed.

She rushed forward excitedly and fanned the magazine open, pointing down at the brightly colored photo. "This one is my favorite! It was taken at night in downtown! Look, isn't it romantic?!"

Kaiba stared blankly at the photo, seeing his own hands holding up the cake, still in the drab brown box, but Yami had somehow made the photo bright and cheerful. What's more, the blurry backdrop of Domino City's sparkling buildings almost looked unreal.

He watched his secretary bend forward to read the caption, and he braced himself for further embarrassment.

"A loud and noisy ramen shop was selling these beautiful cakes on Main Street! Please give them a chance!" His secretary straightened up and smiled brightly, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "I think I know that shop! I walk by it very quickly all the time when I get off at the wrong station…they sell these cakes?!"

She lifted the magazine up for closer inspection, her eyes widening with pleasure. "My gosh…I'm hungry now!"

Kaiba chewed the tip of his tongue, trying to keep himself from speaking but the question clawed its way up this throat and out of his mouth, "What else?"

"Mmm…that's it? No name of the shop," she mused, turning the page slowly and setting the magazine down again. "Ah! I thought you would enjoy this! Here!"

The magazine was slid across the desk and Kaiba's hands moved against his will, pulling it closer so he could get a better look.

It was two enlarged photos on each page, both of him sitting on the park bench braiding hair. His head had been cropped off from the shoulders up, only showcasing his hands working the braid, and several familiar sentences were strategically placed around the blank space beside the elbows.

 _"Mystery Angel's favorite colors and blue and white._

 _Her favorite animal is a dragon. Very cute, right?_

 _Her favorite pastime is dueling! How unique! Do any of our readers enjoy dueling? If so, please see the QR code on pg. 36 for a_

 _ **free**_ _6-month digital subscription to DUEL PRO!"_

He quickly turned the page and was slightly dismayed to have reached the end of the feature spread.

 _Why doesn't Yami photograph for 'DUEL PRO'?_ Kaiba wondered sourly, and he figured it was really because his rival was a gigantic pervert.

His secretary dipped her head forward expectantly, gazing into Kaiba's face for a reaction.

Kaiba flipped the magazine shut and pushed it across the desk back towards her, doing his best not to look her in the eye.

"You didn't look at the other colored tabs!" She protested, pushing the magazine forward to him again. "There's more in the front and the back! Start with the green tab."

Kaiba hesitated for a moment, and there was an awkward silence before his secretary bowed stiffly, stammering, "P-Please and thank you!" and she excited the office hastily, making sure to close the door with a resounding click.

Daring himself to breathe a sigh of relief, Kaiba snatched the magazine up and fanned to the first colored tab.

To his pleasant surprise, it was about shoes.

Interesting. There might be some useful information here that he could refer to for later.

The next marked page was makeup. Next.

The next tab was anonymous submissions to the magazine's "love guru", and was mainly women complaining about their boyfriends.

Kaiba was about to turn the page when the last paragraph at the bottom caught his eye.

 _"This is embarrassing to say, but I have no one else in my life who wants to listen to me talk to about this, so here it is:_

 _ **I'm in a friends-with-benefits relationship with a guy I've known for a long time and I can't break up with him even though I know I should.**_

 _Sometimes we barely get along, but we always go back to each other because the sex is comfortable._

 _I want to quit doing this to myself and find a proper boyfriend._

 _He can't even buy me flowers properly, or even take me out for a nice dinner on a whim!  
I'm the one always arranging our outings and telling him what to do._

 _I used to think I don't mind it because I like being in charge, but it feels too one-sided sometimes._

 _Don't pity me. I put myself in this situation, and I want to break things off with him, but I might be in love with him because if I don't see him for a week or two, I start feeling lonely._

 _What do I do?! I feel so foolish!_

 _Sincerely,_

 _BlueTamago"_

Kaiba shut his eyes tightly for a moment before opening them again.

If he wasn't mistaken, this situation sounded dangerously close to the relationship between him and Yami.

He had known Yami for a long time, just like this woman had known her partner in the article…and what little sex they've had was comfortable!  
But Yami clearly only went along with it because…he was horny. And the feelings that were churning in his stomach was more like nausea, not love.

Steeling himself to read the response, Kaiba held his breath and scanned it quickly.

 _"Dear Blue Tamago,_

 _You are very brave to come forward about this type of relationship, as many of us have probably experienced something similar and dealt with it privately._

 _Understandable that your friends and family don't want to hear you talk about this half-relationship, as it could lead to resentment or fights._

 _I'm sure they want the best for you and telling them about him might pressure you to do something you might regret._

 _My advice to you is this:_

 _ **Ask yourself, are you really in love with him?**_ _If so, try to come to terms with it first instead of panicking. Love is natural feeling that occurs when you spend a lot of time with someone familiar! (even if he is not your ideal boyfriend-type)_ _ **communicate clearly**_ _and tell him you want him to be more involved in the relationship. If you have to go as far as exchanging a list of things you want him to work on, don't be ashamed to do so._

 _\- as a last resort, you could_

 _ **confess to him.  
**_ _If you_ _ **have**_ _already done so and he still behaves in a way that makes you unhappy, consider the point above about communicating._

 _If you_

 _ **haven't**_ _confessed to him, maybe set aside a plan to convey your feelings to him clearly. Tell him that it's not just about what you do in the bedroom, but also what you do outside of it._

 _If you would like to comment a follow-up to your experience regarding this advice, your digital link is on our website as_ _ **/76#1-tamago**_ _, or scan the QR below._

 _Dutifully yours,  
Kokori"_

Kaiba tucked his tongue between his teeth and threw the magazine aside to pull his computer closer. He quickly typed in the link from page and watched his screen blink and refresh.

The post appeared in the browser, and Kaiba scrolled to the bottom, hating the pink layout, irritated to see responses from other users, but not from the original poster.

" **Anon1:** ewwwww I had a relationship like this. I dumped him quick and found self-love. Men like that are only with you because of that one thing, as immature as that sounds.

 **Anon2:** I MARRIED my friends with benefits, and we are HAPPY! Im OK with telling him what to do, and he is happy doing it. Our relationship works. Don't give up, tamago-san! Confess!

 **Anon3:** some men only half-listen, and then sometimes will only do half of what you requested, either because they're stupid or because they just don't think they need to try anymore. You made him too comfortable, Tamago.

 **Anon4:** I disagree with anon2. Telling him what to do gets SO EXHASTING! He has a brain. He can think for himself. I used to dangle sex and favors over his head and when those stopped working, that's when I knew he had lost interest.  
Sometimes, the other person just loses interest.  
Sorry to hear about your situation Tamago.  
Please update soon.

 **Anon5:** at Anon4, there must be a reason he loses interest. Probably was cheating or is in love with his job.  
Dating a workaholic feels exactly the same as DATING A CHEATER!  
I accused my ex-fiancé of cheating when he was just pushing tight deadlines at KC and he slept at the office a lot.  
If he slept with a woman there, I wouldn't know, but our relationship broke because of how often he spent the nights away, and would miss the last trains, refuse to take a taxi because it was "expensive", and it was "only 5 more hours until morning anyway".  
Even if he wasn't cheating on me, it still felt like he wasn't present at all in our relationship when it mattered. I ended our 5-year engagement out of pure dissatisfaction, even though I am pregnant. He came crawling back and said he would prioritize our child, but that's still on-going. Off topic and long post, sorry."

 _Fuck_ , Kaiba palmed his face painfully and felt his eyes burn.

He had read all of that without blinking and his eyes were watering.

None of it had been helpful.

All of it was relatable, and some points had hit too close to home.

He was the workaholic in the so-called relationship with Yami, and Yami was the boyfriend who needed incentives to be present in the relationship.

It was the worst from both sides.

Placing his hands purposely back down on the keyboard, Kaiba began typing quickly into the thread:

 _I am in a situation where he is my FWB but he is clearly in love with someone else, someone so similar to me, its infuriating.  
I refuse to "dump him" because our relationship does work.  
He's just difficult to convince. _

_What the fuck do you do about that?_

He hit send and saw his response pop up in the thread and turn grey.

A red message floated across the text box reading: _Your message contains an obscenity. Please use polite language when speaking with others! (heart)(star)_

Hissing in anger, Kaiba deleted the word 'fuck' and resent the post, seeing it pop up and turn white.

 _Thank you for your post! Would you like to sign up for email updates?_

Rolling his eyes, Kaiba closed the tab and slammed his laptop shut.  
That had been agonizing.  
Time to call it an early day and go home.

* * *

Yami clicked aimlessly around in his email, repeatedly hitting refresh.

It had been two days since Kumi had replied to his last email, and he was beginning to feel desperate.

He clicked 'compose' and began typing steadily:

"To: Atem  
From: Atem

Subject: Please reply KUMI-SAN!

Dear angel,

Please reply soon. I need my phone back, and I really want to s—"

A 'new message' notification popped up at the top of his screen and Yami clicked it hastily, reading the message.

"Hey there Hentai-Photographer,

I will give you back your stupid phone if you do these three things:

Take an exclusive picture of yugi and give me his autograph

Take an exclusive picture with seto kaiba and give me his autograph

Lastly, I want a picture of you shirtless doing something embarrassing

Print these and bring them to me at the park next week WITH FLOWERS and a gift card to my favorite restaurant, the name which I will tell you later, _after_ you've done the above and emailed (me) yourself back.

Okay love youuu bye!  
xoxoxoxox wwwwwwwww

-K"

Astounded, Yami leaned back into his chair and stared blankly at the screen.

She had signed the email with a single letter, "K".

"Yo, Atemu, what is it?" His coworker Boro stood up and leaned over the cubicle wall, giving him a curious look. "Mystery Angel giving you trouble?"

Yami shook his head tightly and closed his email. That list of demands sounded eerily familiar and he couldn't shake the odd feeling off.

"She wants photos of Yugi and Seto Kaiba as payment," Yami replied nervously, seeing his co-worker throw his head back and laugh heartily.

"Man," Boro leaned over the cubicle heavily, lowering his voice. "Sounds like she knows what you're worth, huh?"

"What am I worth?" Yami asked dully, knowing exactly where this conversation was going. Anzu had talked his ear off about girls taking advantage of him because of his social status, not because of who he was as a person.

"Ahhh…let's see," Boro held out his fingers and began ticking them off. "You have a close friendship with _one_ famous billionaire. You _look_ like Yugi Mutou. You carry a _camera_ which only catches the good-sides of people—"

"I get it now," Yami growled, rising to his feet and snatching his jacket off from the back of his chair, slinging his camera bag over his shoulder. "I'm done for the day. See you later."

"…But you're also more humble and easier to approach!" Boro continued, calling playfully after Yami's retreating form at the elevators, and he sat back down at his chair, sighing.

Poor Yami. Girls were always taking advantage of him.

* * *

Kaiba had just set his briefcase down onto his desk when Isono appeared in his doorway and bowed stiffly.

"Master Kaiba, one of our cars is requesting access by the gate."

"Then let it in," Kaiba replied irritably, wondering why his manservant was reporting something so meaningless to him.

"Well…" Isono blinked nervously. "It's not being driven by one of our men. It's Yugi Muto."

Kaiba froze, understanding that he had entered dangerous territory by giving Yami access to one of his cars.

Outside, Yami leaned out the window and tapped the intercom button again twice, hearing nothing but silence.

Sighing, he sat back into his seat and swept his gaze over the car's dashboard. Kaiba was a man who utilized technology to his advantage…maybe there was a button in there that opened the gate.

Yami quickly began patting the headliner, flipping the mirror up and down, bending forward and running his hands underneath the seat.  
The button had to be here somewhere.

"Were you unaware of his arrival?" Isono asked lightly, thinking the young master was being unusually generous with his belongings lately. "Should I let him in?"

A bright chirping beep emitted from Isono's pocket and he jumped, fumbling his phone out of his pocket and turning pale.

Kaiba rolled his eyes and loosened his tie, feeling exhaustion weigh heavily on his shoulders. Figures. Yami had found the remote in the car.

He watched Isono run off to open the front door, and he mentally kicked himself.  
He needed to disable the remote to the gate and set boundaries with Yami.

Kaiba strode out of his room and bumped into Mokuba in the hallway.

"Seto!" Mokuba cried happily, rushing to give him a tight hug. "I didn't hear you come up!"

"Right," Kaiba answered absently before gently prying his brother off and moving steadily towards the stairs. "Stay in your room."

"Wait…" Mokuba frowned in confusion, "You didn't drive the white SUV to work today? Then who's outside?"

To his dismay, his older brother had already vanished down the grand staircase, and Mokuba crossed his arms, huffing.

* * *

Yami was leaning casually against the side of the car with his arms crossed while Isono was circling the car with a towel, frantically buffing the headlights and mirrors.

Kaiba stood nervously by the doorway, eyeing Yami suspiciously.

"Yo." Yami waved, and quickly re-crossed his arms.

Kaiba remained motionless at the doorway, noticing that a camera bag was hanging off of Yami's slender shoulder, and his heart skipped an anxious beat. Was this because of the email he had sent Yami earlier?  
Yami hadn't reply to the email so he wasn't sure if Yami had seen it.

"What do you want?" Kaiba called, feeling his stomach tighten with nervousness. Why did he feel this way even though Yami was a million feet away?

"I'm here because I owe you one…again," Yami said genially, wondering how he could possibly begin to bring up the subject of photographing Kaiba.

Isono straightened up and held his hand out bravely, "The keys, Mr. Mutou?"

Yami threw Isono a surprised look before he anxiously gave Kaiba a glance. Had the CEO not told his manservant that the car was now in his possession? Or was Kaiba doing this to test him?

"He's going fill it up," Kaiba said carelessly, waving over his shoulder and walking into his house. "Come in."

"I see," Yami said anxiously, politely handing the keys off to Isono and following Kaiba into the house. On second thought, he tossed the camera bag into back into the car and hurried inside.

Mokuba was still standing at the head of the stairs, observing the strange sight beneath him.

Seto had just willingly invited Yami inside and was leading him into the kitchen.

Mokuba could hear Seto offering Yami something to drink, and he felt his knees weaken. He raced back into his room to text Yugi the strange news.

Sitting down on a plush leather stool, Yami gratefully accepted a glass of wine from Kaiba and took a tentative sip, letting the alcohol burn his tongue pleasantly.

"Right, now what do you want?" Kaiba asked moodily, pouring himself an extra full glass and taking a long drink. "Make it quick."

 _I want a photo of you,_ Yami thought privately, but one look at Kaiba's face made him change course. "I just stopped by to see how you were doing."

"I'm doing fine," Kaiba answered shortly, and he set his glass down readily. "Now you can leave." And he cursed himself for sounding so hostile. Maybe talking nicely to Yami was going to take some practice.

Yami curled his fingers around his wine glass and grit his teeth in annoyance.  
Typical Kaiba.  
Was there even a gateway to broach the topic of taking personal photos?

There was a long, stuffy silence, and Yami ground his teeth even harder.

Of course, asking wouldn't be easy.  
This was even harder than apologizing because…he was asking Seto Kaiba to pose for him!  
And Kaiba was especially known for his privacy.  
Kaiba wouldn't even pose for TINE* magazine last year when they wanted to feature him as one of the youngest and most prominent entrepreneurs in the world.  
So…maybe he ought to come back another day.

"Then I'll be leaving," Yami said stiffly, pushing the unfinished glass of wine away and easing off the leather stool.

Kaiba chewed the tip of his tongue angrily, and it took most of his effort to speak.

"Wait."

Yami did not pause, and had already crossed the hallway into foyer, stepping into his shoes.

Furious with himself, Kaiba set his glass down with a clink and stormed to the front door, hovering behind Yami, wondering if it was too late to ask for something like a kiss, but what came out of his mouth instead was, "You need to stop coming over unannounced. You're inconveniencing me horribly."

Yami tried to ignore the pang of hurt and anger that seared through his chest at Kaiba's harsh words, and he straightened up haughtily, not turning around to address his rival.

"I had no way of telling you, seeing as I still don't have my phone. I suppose I won't see you until I have my phone. Goodbye, Kaiba."

And with that, Yami stalked over to the car which was just pulling in around the fountain.

Cursing internally, Kaiba watched Isono get out of the driver's seat while Yami climbed in. The slamming door echoed thinly in the cold night air, and the car circled his fountain with surprising ease.

Red taillights disappeared down his driveway and out past the spiked black gate.

Great. He had done a perfect job of scaring Yami off. He had gotten nothing out of the surprise visit, and Yami had gotten a full tank of gas.  
If he ran his business meetings like this, he'd lose his accumulated fortune within a month.

Furious, Kaiba turned on his heel and stormed inside, passing Mokuba, who was standing awkwardly at the top of the stairs, waiting for him.

"Seto? What happened? Did he leave already?"

Kaiba ignored him and locked himself in his room.

He leaned heavily against the door, breathing hard, his mind racing.

It was always his fault that the interactions with Yami always ended on a sour note. It wasn't Yami who wasn't reciprocating…it was himself.

Feeling his resolve crumble, Kaiba slowly made his way to the bed and threw himself facedown upon it, deciding to sleep on it.

* * *

Yami parked the car carefully into the spot marked with his apartment number and shut the engine off. He leaned forward and pressed his forehead against the wheel, feeling his head spin with uncertainty.

Something felt wrong but he couldn't put his finger on it.

 _It's me,_ Yami decided finally. He pulled himself together and snatched his camera bag out of the passenger seat before hopping out of the car.

It had been a while since he had taken photos for himself. Work photography had consumed his being so much, maybe this was why he felt unsettled and restless.

Deciding to take a walk in the park to hopefully catch some clear photos of the moon, Yami set off down the sidewalk at a brisk pace, doing his best not to think about Kaiba and the way he had rudely imposed.

* * *

 **Author's note:**

Everything is so frustrating! I hope they'll hurry up and realize each other's feelings already! – sincerely, everyone shouting at ugli through their screens.

I hear you, I hear you! They'll fuck soon! Hahahahaa (sweats) The reveal is coming soon!

Edited by: setokaibaes/marshmallons

 **MY BUNNY UPDATE:**

We had the surgery early! The vet said I was doing everything correctly like a good bunny parent, even tho it didn't feel that way. They flushed the wound and we didn't need anesthesia, because he was cooperating so well and he didn't seem to be in much pain (because the growth is on the outside of his chin) so the cost of the visit was only 285 with the general inspection/eyedrops/antibiotics/pain meds (an additional 85$ for the meds as I had predicted from a previous visit, hah my prediction was good)!

(the eyedrops is this gross yellow liquid and it stains so badly omg)

Thank you everyone who contributed to the OneShot Collection Commissions! (on AO3)

He's doing great! Here's a video of our journey. (on uglifish2 . tumblr . com)

Your donations helped SO MUCH, and I am able to afford groceries this week because of you! THANK YOU!

Hugs,  
Ugli


	12. I gave up on everything

Kaiba rose from his desk and gathered his things, making sure to leave the magazine his secretary had lent him in plain sight.

He had no interest in this week's edition, because once again, the center feature page was missing…and he knew it was his own fault. But Yami had not contacted him at all since their last encounter at his mansion a last week.

Unsure of how to proceed, there had just been silence between them.

Sighing in frustration, Kaiba stepped into the elevator and gripped his meeting notes tightly, hating everything.

Another meeting, another day passing by before him in a meaningless blur.

Kaiba shut his eyes and leaned his head back against the elevator wall, feeling his eyelids ache from exhaustion.

Why was it that he only felt alive in Yami's company?  
It wasn't because he was dressed as a woman, right?  
It was because Yami's company was invigorating!

As the elevator traveled lower, Kaiba kept his eyes tightly shut, knowing he should be reviewing the meeting notes under his arm, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

The doors slid open and Kaiba slowly leaned out of his stupor, shaking off the tiredness and walking towards the meeting rooms.

The closer he got to the door, the heavier his feet grew.  
This was annoying.  
Everything sucked.

He reached the shiny glass doors and wrapped his fingers around the chrome handle, pulling it open to quickly step inside.

Everyone sitting at the table rose respectfully to their feet and bowed stiffly.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Kaiba." An unfamiliar man with slick black hair spoke formally, and he straightened up while his employees remained bowed.

Kaiba swept his gaze witheringly across the tops of the other two bowed heads, making note that they were both female.

"Thank you for considering us in your phone case ad!" the women chorused, and Kaiba rolled his eyes.

He sat down tiredly, realizing that this might be an important meeting.

Fine, he would give the last of his energy to this, and then head straight home afterwards.

The other two women straightened up out of their bow and sat down, eyeing him keenly, and Kaiba's blood froze the moment he found himself staring into a familiar face.

She had almond eyes, beautiful silky black hair, and neatly pressed clothes.

Kaiba swallowed tightly and the sour taste of bile stung the back of his throat.  
Miyo-chan. The sparkling water girl.  
Oh fuck, oh shit.  
Could she…did she…recognize him?

He held her gaze for one agonizing minute, keeping his face impassive while his heart thundered in his chest, waiting for her to grin evilly at him, but all he received was another polite nod.

She smiled sweetly and bowed forward against the table again, her ears pink at the tips. "Mr. Kaiba! Such an honor!"

 _An honor indeed, you evil monster_ , Kaiba raged internally, glancing down at his notes and sifting through them quickly while he steadily composed himself.

The man at their side, presumably their manager, began speaking rapidly with enthusiasm.

"Mr. Kaiba, here from our agency, are two of our best and most popular faces! Nagasaki Miyo and Fujita Aiko! Perhaps you recognize them from their most recent works, Happy Lemon Sparkling Water, and Samantha Thevhasa handbags?"

Kaiba ran his tongue under his teeth, his blood boiling for revenge.  
Did Miss Sparkling Water want to advertise his phone cases?  
Then he would obviously pick the other girl, just to spite her.

But the other girl's specialty was handbags, and he was looking for a wide appeal.

"M-Mr. Kaiba?" the manager asked tentatively when the silence grew heavier and heavier.

"No thanks," Kaiba said finally, propping his head up on his hand and looking right at Miyo, seeing her almond eyes widen with desperation. "I'm trying to make a unisex appeal. I need a male and female model."

"I-then, perhaps, next meeting, I will bring some of our best male idols," the manager stammered, paling considerably because both girls were giving him frantic side-glances, unable to hide their disappointment.

Kaiba smirked, deciding to continue delivering bad news, "And I thought I was very clear. I wanted fresh faces. Both girls here already have careers established by other brands."

The women blinked emptily at him, the color draining quickly from their faces while their manager stammered beside them.

"I see, I see," the man mumbled, bowing and wringing his hands tightly. "Then perhaps we can recommend our sister agency, one who specializes in fresh faces?"

"Yeah, do that," Kaiba growled, grabbing the pen from his suit pocket and hovering it above a blank space on his notes. "Name and agent, phone number?

"I don't—I didn't bring…we don't haven't prepared that information today…with us," the manager said awkwardly, and to Kaiba's extreme irritation, the sparkling water girl butted in.

"I have an agent you can contact," she said bravely, and she slipped her hand quickly into her purse, pulling out a black business card and sliding it tentatively forward.

"Thanks," Kaiba said carelessly, giving them a dismissive wave. "Meeting over."

"I want to help mentor your 'fresh face'," Miyo said in a furious rush, and she bowed her head forward respectfully before hastily adding, "…Mr. Kaiba."

 _No fucking way in hell,_ Kaiba growled internally, eyeing the black business card on the table, miles away from him.

"I'm perfectly capable of handling this myself," he said stiffly, gathering his notes and standing quickly. "Thanks for coming."

Doing his best to keep his expression neutral, he walked past the two seated girls and swept his hand over the business card, keeping it tightly in his palm.

He strode out the door and made a beeline for the elevators, not daring to breathe until the doors had slid shut in his view.

Sighing with relief, Kaiba glanced down at the black card in his palm.

His heart stopped in his chest as he read the neat lettering across the laminated surface.

 _ATEM  
Photographer & Model Management_

 _Contact to view portfolio:  
atem  
atem  
[phone] +81-0010426489_

 _Oh…fuck_ , Kaiba palmed his face angrily and slipped the card into his pocket, his heart hurting with every shallow beat in his chest.

His phone buzzed repeatedly in his pocket and Kaiba slipped it out, gazing down at it with surprise.

It was Yami!

 **Y-creep:** hey, I just heard about your meeting with Gold Star Entertainment.

Kaiba grit his teeth and stepped out of the elevator, striding past his secretary and back into the safety of his office to read the texts.

 **Y-creep:** why would you reject Miyo-chan? She's a perfect candidate!  
 **Y-creep:** ah, she says she's not a "fresh face"  
 **Y-creep:** …and that she gave you my card.  
 **Y-creep:** ok Kaiba. Proposition?  
 **Y-creep:** I will give you a fresh face to work with, and in return

 _Hold on!_ Kaiba thought deliriously, his eyes watering with mirth. Was Yami seriously in a position to bargain right now?

 **Y-creep:** you let me photograph you!  
 **Y-creep:** deal?

Kaiba slowly sat down behind his desk and felt a small headache pound thickly in his ears.

Was this a bad deal or a good deal?  
Besides, he had already sat in front of Yami's camera as Kumi, in far more uncomfortable situations.  
It should be fine.  
Either way, this would bring him and Yami closer together.

"Deal," Kaiba said dryly, typing it out quickly and hitting 'send'.

Yami smiled triumphantly and earned a long look from Yugi.

"Another girl?" Yugi asked, exasperated, and to his surprise, Yami shook his head.

"Kaiba," came the reply, and Yugi couldn't hide his surprise.

"Kaiba?" Yugi's eyes widened and he set his spoon down, watching Yami eat slowly with his eyes nailed to his phone screen.

"Kaiba needs a model, and I'm helping him," Yami explained vaguely, and Yugi nodded.

"S-Sure thing, Pharaoh, just…be careful okay? Working with Kaiba-kun is like making a deal with the devil. He's dangerous."

"I can handle him," Yami replied confidently, his fingers flying across the screen as he typed. "I've learned some useful new information about him. He's been nothing but helpful to me recently."

Yugi eyed the sparkling white car parked outside the restaurant windows, his stomach churning with unease.  
Useful information? About Kaiba?  
Information that Yami deemed was "helpful"?  
Helpful enough to purchase a car?

It couldn't be anything good.

"Spill," Yugi demanded, folding his arms firmly across his chest. "What _useful_ information do you have on him? You're not blackmailing him, are you?"

"No! I'm not!" Yami cried defensively, his cheeks reddening with guilt, and Yugi caught this immediately.

"You are!" his twin argued heatedly, his eyes growing wider by the second. "Yami…I can't believe you!"

Yami bit his lower lip nervously.  
He gazed frantically around the restaurant, making sure no one was eavesdropping on them before he leaned forward and whispered fervently, "He's gay, and he likes me."

Yugi leaned back into his seat so hard, the wind left his lungs in a stiff rush.

Right.  
Kaiba was gay and liked Yami.  
Everyone…knew that already?  
Kaiba was always chasing after Yami, very publicly, and Yami seemed to enjoy the attention.

Yugi swallowed tightly, remembering the time Anzu had had a lengthy discussion with him about her suspicions regarding Kaiba, in private, several weeks ago.

"You don't seem surprised," Yami said slowly, eyeing his twin with suspicion, wondering if Yugi somehow already knew.

"I-I... thought it was obvious." Yugi smiled meekly, trembling all over. "He's always looking at you. Kaiba-kun is…persistent."

Yami frowned and tucked his phone back into his pocket, nodding shallowly.

He hadn't thought it was obvious, but his Aibou was more perceptive than him in some cases, and this might be one of those cases.

"So," Yami continued hastily, trying hide his embarrassment. "He agreed to let me take photos of him, in exchange for a contract with one of my models."

Yugi blinked slowly at his twin, wondering why Yami was aiming for the most difficult and impossible task of all: photographing the paparazzi-elusive Seto Kaiba.

Had a girl set him up to it?

"I don't think it's a good idea," Yugi said nervously, but Yami wasn't listening.

His bag was slung over his shoulder and he was already halfway out the door.

Sighing, Yugi waved half-heartedly, seeing Yami wave back energetically and climb into his car.

 _Ditched again_ , Yugi thought sullenly, reaching for his phone to call Anzu for a ride home.

* * *

Kaiba paced his office nervously, staring at the orange wash of color from the setting sun shining in from his tall windows.

He kept clicking his phone on and off in his hand, waiting a text from Yami.

And the more he thought about it, the more unsettled he became.

He was giving Yami an opportunity to photograph him, as himself, as Seto Kaiba, and not as Kumi, and he knew Yami's motivations for wanting to photograph him only stemmed from Kumi requesting private photos.

 _No matter which way I look at it, it sounds like he wins_ , Kaiba growled to himself, hearing the phone on his desk ring instead.

He strode over to it and answered quickly, "What?"

"Mr. Kaiba," his secretary sounded rushed, "I'm leaving now, and calling to tell you your guest you've been expecting is coming up the elevators now."

"Good," Kaiba growled, slamming the phone back down into the cradle and continuing to pace nervously. Great. He was out of time. Yami was here and he didn't have a better proposition that put him in the lead.

A soft knock sounded at his door and Kaiba paused mid-step, glancing strangely at it and wondering why Yami was being polite.

He hurried to answer it, and to his extreme surprise and displeasure, it was Miyo, the sparking water girl, standing on the bevel wringing her hands, looking at him with wide, hopeful eyes.

Kaiba's grip tightened around the door handle so much, his skin burned. When their eyes met, they were almost level with each other in height.  
How fucking tall was she?

After a tense moment, he spoke through gritted teeth, not bothering to hide his annoyance. " _What_ are you doing here?"

"M-Mr. Kaiba!" she gasped, ducking forward into a frantic bow. "I came back to ask you to reconsider! I will happily break my contract with Happy Lemon Water for you if you wish!"

Kaiba blinked at her, slowly digesting her words while staring at the swirl of dark hair front of him while she remained bowed.

So…this girl was willing to throw away a successful, existing career, to work for him? Weak.

"Really? You want to advertise for me that badly?" Kaiba asked, shaking with rage. "You already sound like a bad business decision. How will I know you won't break my contract once a better one comes along?"

She straightened up slowly and swallowed visibly, suddenly looking very pale.

"That's what I thought." Kaiba said nastily, moving to close the door. "Leave."

"Wait…wait!" she cried, pressing a pretty manicured hand on the door, pushing back with surprising force. "Please…hear me out. I-I really…admire you, Mr. Kaiba!"

Kaiba froze as a slow trickle of inspiration ran through him, and he slowly pulled the door back again to look her full in the face, "What?"

"I admire—I like you," she said in a furious rush, her cheeks blushing cherry red as she bowed forward quickly again. "Let's get to know each other."

 _Right_ , Kaiba thought sarcastically, stepping back to let her into his office before closing the door behind her.

He couldn't help but feel a small bubble of triumph rise from his chest.  
Why hadn't he thought of it sooner?  
The best way for revenge was to date the shit out of her, and then viciously break her heart. In a public place… _for effect._

He moved towards the wet bar in the far corner of his office, his heart thundering with furious joy. Perfect. A genius plan.

"Would you like a drink?" he called casually over his shoulder, and he heard her surprised gasp followed by a demure laugh.

"Yes, thank you!"

 _I wish this was poison_ , Kaiba thought fervently, uncorking the whiskey and pouring her a meager portion and watching the amber liquid pool at the bottom of the glass.

This was the expensive shit, and she was model. She wasn't going to touch it, so this was practically being wasted.

He walked towards her with the glass and noticed how her cheeks steadily grew redder the closer he got. Good. She _really_ liked him.

"Thank you," she whispered, clasping the glass in both hands, and Kaiba glared angrily at her pretty manicure. Damn this girl. Those nails had almost ripped his hair out, and he was not going to forget that.

To Kaiba's supreme displeasure, she didn't take a sip and hung onto the glass, keeping it in her lap.

"Are you…busy this evening?" she asked boldly, gazing around the empty office and out towards the darkening sky. "I saw many people leaving as I was coming up."

"Yeah, I had plans." Kaiba fumed privately, wondering why Yami hadn't texted him yet. "But I'll cancel them…for you."

He reached for his phone and watched her redden again noticeably, feeling another rush of vicious glee. Good. The more forward he was now, the more painful it would be for her later on.

Glancing down at his screen, he was irritated to see that Yami had indeed texted him. He just hadn't heard or felt the notifications because he had been trying to fend the girl off at the door.

 **Y-creep:** sry. Mandatory fotoshoot came up last minute.  
 **Y-creep:** lmk when ur free again, k?  
 **Y-creep:** tomorrow nite? I'll make it up to you. Sory!

 _Asshole_ , Kaiba thought sourly, hastily tying out his reply, fully aware of Miyo's eyes following his every movement.

"It's not too much…trouble, is it?" she asked nervously, seeing the CEO's expression darken after he checked his phone. "I can come back another time."

"No, stay," Kaiba said smoothly, tucking his phone away and standing quickly. He offered her his hand, trembling with anticipation as he willed his face to remain impassive. "Let me take you out tonight."

She blushed furiously and stood without accepting his hand.

Slightly irritated, Kaiba kept his hand outstretched, feeling his arm ache, watching her throw the drink back impressively and smile brightly at him.

Her demeanor seemed to change instantly, and she placed her hand into his, gripping it tightly while the smile sat permanently on her face. "Where are we going?"

"Out," Kaiba answered shortly, leading her to the door and taking long strides on purpose.  
Truthfully, he had no idea where to take her and his mind raced frantically for a place.

They stepped into the elevator in silence and Kaiba watched the doors slide firmly shut, still panicking on the inside.

She wrapped herself around his arm and smiled warmly up at him. "Anywhere is fine. I'm with you, after all!"

Kaiba managed a weak smile at her, and he felt his phone buzz in his pocket, followed by a stroke of inspiration. He could kill two birds with one stone, and take her to Domino Park.

Her heels echoed loudly behind him in the parking structure as they approached his car, and Kaiba could sense her hesitation beginning to form.

"…Please, at least tell me where we're going?" she asked, beginning to sound irritated while climbing into the passenger seat. "It's a bit early to say, but I hear you're a very forward person, Mr. Kaiba, so I'll say it now. I don't like surprises."

Kaiba threw his head back and let out a throaty, mirthless laugh, his ears stinging from the loudness of his own voice.

She seemed thrown for a moment, and leaned back into the seat in shocked silence.

He started the engine with a roar, giving her a real, solid smile for the first time. "I hate surprises too."

* * *

Yami held the camera higher against his face, nodding politely at his model.

She smiled back with equal politeness and tossed her hair over her shoulder slowly, tucking on hand under her chin, giving Yami enough time to get at least three shots.

"My arms hurt," Boro complained, holding the light reflector at an awkward angle, his knees shaking. "New pose please, Rin-chan?"

Yami took a few more shots and lowered his camera, quickly flipping through the photos and nodding quickly at the model, "We can break. I think we have just enough for the center spread next week."

Boro let out a relieved sigh and visibly sagged while the model walked off and sat down at a nearby bench, immediately pulling out her phone and scrolling through it.

Yami heard footsteps echoing from afar, and he swiveled around to check who it was, worried that their photo setup might attract unwanted attention this time of night.

To his ultimate surprise, the thin silhouette of Seto Kaiba was barely visible from afar, walking in through the park archway entrance, arm in arm with a slender female.

Yami tightened his grip around his camera and began to sweat nervously.  
S-Seriously? Was Kaiba on a date?

"Oi, do we let the strangers pass or ask them to go around?" Boro asked in a low whisper, and the model jerked her head up to glance frantically at the approaching couple, her eyes wide.

"They're not…strangers…" Yami mumbled, his fingers weakening around his camera when the female on Kaiba's arm slowly came into view. It was…Miyo-chan.

"Should we go then?" Boro urged, slipping off his jacket and hurriedly throwing it over the model's shoulders. "We pack up! We're done here. I'll walk Rin-chan to the main street and call her a taxi."

Kaiba felt Miyo's hand around his arm tighten as they approached the glowing set-up a few paces away, and she tensed excitedly before letting go to rush over to Yami, throwing her arms around his neck, laughing happily.

"Atem, what a pleasant surprise!" she cried, nearly toppling Yami over with the force of her hug.

"M-Miyo-chan…" Yami said weakly, giving her arm an awkward pat, and she giggled.

Kaiba stood watching listlessly from afar, his blood boiling. Well, his plan had worked, but now he was properly pissed. He had almost forgotten how irritating it was, seeing girls hang off of Yami.

"What's going on?" Miyo gasped, dashing over to the girl sitting on the bench and introducing herself. "Hi! I'm Miyo!"

Kaiba rolled his eyes and turned around quickly to walk away.  
There was a crushing pain in his chest and it was getting harder to breathe the more he heard Miyo giggle.

"Kaiba…wait!"

Yami's voice rung out from behind him, followed by the quick patter of footsteps and before he knew it, the pharaoh was sticking closely to his side in an eerily familiar manner, matching every single one of his long strides

"Are you dating her?" Yami asked breathlessly as he struggled to keep up. "Tell me, Kaiba! Slow down!"

He was soundly ignored, and he could hear his co-worker calling frantically behind him, "Oiiii! Yamiii! This tripod won't fit in my car! It's full!"

Yami barreled forward without thinking and grabbed Kaiba's hand, yanking him to a firm stop, his skin burning from the coldness of Kaiba's skin.

"Are you dating her?" Yami repeated, staring at the back of Kaiba's hair in the semi-darkness, memorizing the sharp curve at the top. "Please—"

"Why do you care?" Kaiba sneered, whirling around to glare at his rival, unable to manage a polite tone. "I don't have to tell you anything. Fuck off."

Yami narrowed his eyes and tightened his grip on Kaiba's hand, feeling knuckles digging into his palms, almost crushing Kaiba's fingers with a stubborn squeeze. "Fine, don't tell me."

"Great, now let go," Kaiba breathed, his heart thundering so loud in his ears he could barely hear himself think.

Yami held on tighter in response, a warm fire spreading strangely up his arm and seeping in his chest, causing his cheeks to grow warm.

"No," he replied simply. "I don't feel like it."

Kaiba swallowed thinly, his mind spinning with frantic thoughts. God, they must look so awkward right now, standing in the middle of an empty park…holding hands.

But…Yami was holding his hand…willingly, so he wasn't going to complain.

He turned and continued walking forward, feeling Yami dragging him back with force, and he could hear Yami's shoes scraping against the pavement the more he struggled.

"Kai…ba!" Yami growled, gritting his teeth and hanging on with all his might. Kaiba was stronger than he looked!

"What?!" Kaiba hissed, spinning around to face him again. His cheeks burned and his stomach curled with a mixture of anxiety and satisfaction for having successfully monopolized Yami's attention.

 _"Oiiii…Atemuuu!"_ Boro waved his arms energetically in the distance, his voice tinny in the empty park, and he was viciously ignored by both Kaiba and Yami.

"I-I…don't trust anything you say," Yami said lamely, and he felt his own hand grow damp in Kaiba's much colder one. "Can you answer truthfully?"

"No," Kaiba said coldly, turning around once more. "Let go."

"No." Yami replied stubbornly, and he was yanked forward while Kaiba took long strides towards the park exit.

He felt his hand slip slightly, and he half expected Kaiba to twist out of his grasp, but to his surprise, Kaiba did nothing.

Yami glanced down at the tips of his shoes, his ears ringing with a strange sound as he let Kaiba lead them out of the park and down the sidewalk.  
His feet grew heavier with each step the longer their hands stayed connected, and he stared at Kaiba's thumb which was resting gently atop the back of his hand.  
This was…odd.

There was no one around them to see or judge them, but it still felt strange.

Yami felt his heart flutter the moment Kaiba's thumb brushed over his knuckle, and his stomach churned violently.

Yes, this was very strange indeed, walking down the street late at night, holding Kaiba's hand while following him…somewhere.

"Where are you going?" Yami asked numbly, feeling his tongue swell at the memory of Kaiba's lips on his. He fiddled with the camera strap for something to do, growing nervous.

Kaiba kept his jaw clenched, deciding not to answer.  
He didn't know, so the answer didn't matter.  
What mattered was Yami's hand curled tightly around his, and that his was sweating delightfully.  
How fun…was Yami nervous?

They stood in silence at a crosswalk.  
Yami decided it was time to let go, because it was becoming terribly awkward.

He loosened his grip, but to his amazement, Kaiba's hand did a quick flip, and cold fingers curled over the top of his hand, holding it firmly.

Blinking rapidly, Yami felt the wind leave his lungs in a rush when he was pulled forward down the street, their footsteps in sync.

Kaiba allowed himself a small smile, feeling a curl of triumph in his chest. Finally.

Yami drew in a sharp breath and gazed down at his own hand, sitting almost too comfortably in Kaiba's. Was this…okay?  
It felt oddly nice.  
Was it nice or was he just imagining things?

He snuck a glance up at Kaiba, seeing nothing but the curve of a sharp cheekbone while Kaiba kept his head held high, determined not to make eye contact.

The warm scent of red beans floated through the air and Yami felt a pang of hunger. Ah…damn, that smelled delicious.

Apparently, Kaiba had caught a whiff of it too because he had slowed his pace considerably. They passed a small street, and the glow of a tiny food cart shone invitingly on the corner.

"Want one?" Kaiba gave Yami a playful grin and didn't wait for an answer before leading him to the tiny stand.

Yami nodded weakly and almost stumbled into the display beside the cart, earning a sharp glare from the food cart owner.

"May I help you…Mr. Kaiba?" the woman asked plainly, her eyes darting slowly between Yami and Kaiba's arms which were oddly close together. "Let me take your order."

"Yeah, two of those," Kaiba said, pointing carelessly at the display, and he received a hard nudge on his arm from Yami who whispered audibly, "Black sesame and red bean filling, combo B."

"I only accept cash," she replied tersely, before moving towards the case and pulling out two skewers with the colorful dumplings.

Yami watched her movements hungrily, noticing that she was kind enough to give them a small paper tray for the dango.

Kaiba cursed internally when realized he would have to let go of Yami's hand to pay. Damn it.

He let go of Yami's hand and slipped his hand into his pocket for his wallet.

His fingers sank deep into the fabric and hit the seam.  
It was empty.  
Frowning, he patted his other pocket and realized that was empty too.

S-Shit! Was he phone-less _and_ without a wallet?  
In his haste to leave his office with Miyo, he had forgotten everything on his desk.

Yami watched Kaiba's frantic performance with rising glee.

"This moment will go down in history," the pharaoh declared impishly, dipping his hand quickly into his own pocket for his wallet and handing the woman exact change. "Seto Kaiba can't even pay for street food."

"Shut…up," Kaiba breathed, burning with humiliation and rage as he stepped aside to let Yami reach over the barrier to hand the woman her money.

He snatched the tray of dango up and ground his teeth in fury, marching away from the food cart and hearing Yami dash after him, his laughter echoing pleasantly up and down the empty street.

"And then you steal the food I paid for," Yami said, grinning and reaching for one skewer, almost tripping over Kaiba's feet as the CEO held the tray high above his head, his lips curved into a sneer.

"Finders keepers," Kaiba retaliated, hearing Yami laugh heartily again and his spirits rose steadily.

"Sure, because I'm so generous, you get to keep half," Yami said, nodding and holding his hand out expectantly. "The sesame filling is mine—"

"I'll give it to you," Kaiba smirked, picking the skewer up and waving the snack dangerously before Yami's nose, "Open up."

Yami's expression darkened and he gave Kaiba's hand a frantic swipe, missing him completely when Kaiba dodged him nimbly by taking a step to the side, the hot dango sagging dangerously on the skewer.

"Kaiba! Stop fucking around, it'll dr—" before Yami could finish his sentence, the topmost ball melted off the skewer in slow motion and began to fall.

Kaiba shot his arm out and hastily caught the dango in the tray with his other hand and stayed motionless, a laugh bubbling quickly up his throat, threatening to spill out.

"Fuck you," Yami hissed, snatching the skewer from Kaiba and biting into what was left of it.

Kaiba let himself smile widely as he watched Yami lick the skewer clean and reach for the second one unabashedly.

"Mine," Yami insisted, and his hand was slapped away by Kaiba. "Ow!"

"Here." Kaiba grinned, seeing his own hand waver as he held the skewer up to Yami's lips. "You get the top two. I want the last one."

Yami bared his teeth playfully and bit the snack off the top, and turned away quickly, pressing a hand over his mouth to keep it from spilling out.

"Hey…turn around." Kaiba frowned. He was disappointed that he had missed part of Yami's expression in that split second.

He placed a hand on his shoulder and pulled Yami back around.

Yami's eyes were watering, and his cheeks were puffed out comically while his hand was pressed over his mouth as he gasped, "H-Hot…Hot!"

"Then spit it out," Kaiba smiled, feeling another bout of laughter climbing up his chest as Yami shook his head furiously and continued to chew.  
Impressive. Stubborn _and_ adorable.

Yami swallowed the hot treat with effort and let out a dry cough, his tongue burning. Before he could compose himself, Kaiba bent down and pressed a tight kiss against his lips.

Blinking in astonishment, Yami froze and his stomach clenched with a strange swooping feeling and his lungs grew impossibly tight.

The tip of Kaiba's tongue wiggled teasingly along the tip of his own tongue which was still sensitive and stinging from the burn, but Kaiba tasted wonderfully light, with the familiar tang of coffee and something…unique and oddly familiar.

Kaiba couldn't help but smile gently into the kiss, his chest swirling with triumph as he tasted the sweetness of red bean lingering in Yami's breath, and he daringly deepened the kiss, reminding himself that they were standing in plain sight on the street.

Parting his lips further, Yami felt his body respond automatically, and his skin began to burn with a strange sensation.

Suddenly, just as soon as it had begun, it ended, and Kaiba pulled away breathlessly, his cheeks wonderfully pink.

Stunned speechless, Yami gazed intently into Kaiba's eyes, desperately trying to read his mind.  
What was the purpose of that?!  
Embarrassment? A show of power?  
Did Kaiba want to eat the dango out of his mouth?

The silence stretched on heavily before Kaiba broke it by quickly shoving the tray into Yami's hands and saying, "Not hungry."

Yami held the small paper tray with a trembling hand, the warmth from the treat soaking in through the barrier, causing his fingertips to tingle.

"Okay…" Yami said numbly, noticing that the tips of Kaiba's ears were very red. Really! Kaiba had the nerve to be embarrassed when he had been the one who started it!

They stared at each other for another long moment before Kaiba mustered the courage to say, "Thanks for the meal," and he hurried off back the way they came, leaving Yami standing alone on the street, holding the leftover dango.

"Okay…" Yami called uncertainly after Kaiba's disappearing shadow. "You're welcome?"

* * *

 **Author's note:**

omg more kissing and they share a cute moment!  
miyo reeeeally wants that job but kaiba sure as hell not gonna hire her LOL  
hopefully yami will get his head out of his ass and quickly realize his feelings for Kaiba

Edited by: kaibaes

Comments are my fuel, i crave your opinion! :D

-ugli


	13. but you

Yami sighed and leaned back against the park bench, closing his eyes and letting himself relax.

Maybe he was cursed, or maybe he was stuck in a loop. How many nights had he spent, awake on this bench, waiting for Kumi-san to walk by?

Too many to count.

And every night he always sat down feeling hopeful, only to end up disappointed when the sun began to rise over Domino City's sparkling chrome buildings. So there was no reason for tonight to be any different.

Except, these past few nights, he had been without a phone, and the longer he went on without it, the more worried he became.

He heard footsteps crunching over gravel, and he slowly pried his eyes open, seeing a shadowy figure of a stout man carrying a briefcase hurrying across the park, clearly eager to get to the other side.

Not Kumi.

He closed his eyes again and sighed.

Maybe he ought to pay Kaiba a visit tonight.

Memories of their last encounter together flashed through his mind and Yami's stomach clenched strangely.

The kiss they had shared…had been nice. He hadn't minded it at all.

 _But Kaiba is a man_. Yami balked privately, rising to his feet and stretching lightly.

His feet were already leading him to the road towards Kaiba's skyscraper, and Yami decided he would confront Kaiba with his feelings directly.

* * *

Kaiba cracked an eyelid open, hearing a light buzzing coming from the surface of his desk, and he bolted upright, realizing he had fallen asleep at his desk.

His phone was vibrating dangerously close to the edge, and he snatched it up quickly, answering it without properly checking the caller ID first.

"What, Mokuba?"

A man's voice, sounding nervous, answered him instead.

"M-Mr. Kaiba. Good evening. I'm a night guard at your establishment and…"

Kaiba sleepily pulled the phone away from his ear and glared at the caller ID.  
Why the fuck did he pick this up? It was an unknown number.  
Also, it was 2AM.  
Mokuba was asleep.

He was about to hang up when he heard the name 'Yami' echo thinly through the receiver, and he pressed the phone back to his face again, holding his breath while listening.

"…. says he's here to see you. But everyone has gone home. I'm surprised you picked up, actually—"

"I'm still here," Kaiba said coldly, sitting up straighter and shaking off the vestiges of sleep quickly. "Let him into the main elevators."

He hung up and dashed into the bathroom to splash water on his face, his heart pounding excitedly in his chest.  
Yami was here to see him!  
Wait…Yami was here to see him…at 2AM.  
It couldn't be anything good.

Patting his face dry with a towel, Kaiba stared at his own reflection, glowering at himself.

 _He only comes around when he wants his dick wet,_ he thought spitefully, throwing the towel aside and striding out just in time to hear Yami's tentative knock at the door.

"Leave." Kaiba's voice floated glass through the door, sounding irritated. "Do you know what time it is?"

"I didn't think you would be here," Yami replied indignantly, feeling a rush a relief and…something else.  
Excitement?

Without waiting for an invitation, Yami pushed the door open quietly and stepped into Kaiba's office, unsurprised to see the CEO sitting stiffly at his desk, hands poised on his laptop keys, his cold blue eyes narrowed emotionlessly at the screen.

"Robot Kaiba," Yami said playfully, approaching his desk and leaning against it with his hip. "Planning on staying here all night?"

"What do you want?" came the cold reply, and Yami frowned, taken aback by the sudden coldness. Where was the warmth and friendliness from their earlier encounter several nights ago? Or had that been a dream?

"Just…dropping by because I couldn't sleep," Yami answered truthfully. His heels ached from the long walk over and he eyed the couch longingly.

There was a long silence as Yami waited for Kaiba to answer.

Kaiba stubbornly kept his jaw clenched tightly shut even though he wanted to shout at Yami for being a blind idiot, but he held back. He had learned something in the past few months, and it was that shouting…got them nowhere.

In fact, shouting at each other seemed to make time slow down, and Kaiba had vowed to restrain himself.

He watched Yami sit down on the couch and kick his shoes off, making himself too comfortable in his space.

"Are you homeless?" Kaiba spoke before he could control himself, and he bit his tongue painfully, cursing internally.

"No," Yami replied, looking mildly offended. "I want to sit here. Why can't I?"

"What do you want?" Kaiba asked again, unable to find another way to phrase it, and his chest curled with dread at Yami's answer.  
It was probably going to be something about… _Kumi._ How fucking irritating.

"I want to run something by you," Yami said, sounding unusually casual, and Kaiba perked his ears up, immediately on guard. "Maybe you can help me understand."

There was another long silence, and Kaiba began to lose his patience. "Spit it out."

Yami swallowed thinly, his anxiety rising as he contemplated what he was about to say. It should be fine disclosing this secret…because…he had gotten closer to Kaiba in the past few weeks, closer than they had ever been in the past few years.

"What…the fuck…is it?" Kaiba breathed, his heart thundering in his ears while he did his best to control his rage.

Yami turned to face him a serious expression, his angular violet eyes oddly dark as he spoke. "I'm losing myself, and I'm aware that I've been…a…terrible friend, to everyone around me. Including you, Kaiba."

"What?" Kaiba snapped, shutting his laptop with a hurried _click!_ and deciding to give Yami his full attention. The pharaoh was being annoyingly cryptic as usual. Why couldn't he just speak directly like a normal person?

"I've become…strange," Yami continued, his panic rising when he realized Kaiba was now taking him seriously. "I feel that I like—I like men _and_ women!"

Kaiba tucked his tongue in his cheek and chewed tightly, doing his best to keep a straight face, but Yami caught on instantly and glared.

"Laugh if you want," Yami said venomously, his cheeks burning with humiliation. "But I like women first. You're not even on my list of men that I like."

"I see," Kaiba replied, cracking a boyish smile. "Anything else?"

"No," Yami fumed, feeling oddly naked now, and he regretted ever having said anything. Kaiba was now laughing at him.

"Or maybe…" Kaiba propped his hand under his chin and leaned forward. "You like men who look like women. Or, women who identify as men. Or men who like to dress up as women, but still identify as a man."

"What?" Yami narrowed his eyes at Kaiba, his ears humming strangely at Kaiba's words. "I don't understand."

"Of course you don't," Kaiba said easily, leaning back into his chair and flipping his laptop open once more, feeling very satisfied with himself. "You've spent zero time thinking about it. All you do is chase after anything that walks by with legs."

"A man who looks like a woman…is still a man," Yami said awkwardly, his ears burning strangely. "Is that what you're saying?"

"No," Kaiba answered simply, and the soft clicking of his keys filled the awkward silence that followed.

"Then a man who looks like a woman should be treated like a w—"

"Just shut up," Kaiba interrupted rudely, and Yami blinked, his chest tightening with a hurtful squeeze at the cold tone.  
Why was Kaiba acting so…mean?

"There's nothing wrong with liking both men and women," Kaiba said, cutting across Yami's protests. "Both equally and unequally. Does that help? As for the other shit, do your own research."

"I'm not looking for your approval," Yami replied coldly, rising to his feet and eyeing the door. "And no, you didn't help at all. Don't talk to me if you're going to talk over me."

Kaiba tensed and raised his head just in time to see Yami striding angrily out of his office, slamming the glass door behind himself with an echoing bang.

Oh…shit.

Kaiba shut his laptop without saving anything and leapt to his feet, rushing to the door to chase after Yami, cursing himself in his head at the same time, reminding himself that he should be kinder to Yami, considering that he was the one causing Yami's confusion right now.

In fact, if he played his cards right, he could probably win Yami over…!

Yami heard Kaiba's footsteps approach him from behind and he ignored him, resolutely staring at the closed elevator doors.

"Everything is closed, the lift won't come up," Kaiba said tiredly, reaching into his pocket for the keycard before changing his mind and deciding to do nothing. Forcefully keeping Yami here while they resolved their tension was a good thing….

"Leave me alone," Yami managed to say through clenched teeth, and his cheeks burned so much, his eyes watered terribly.

He had come here with an open heart to talk about his feelings with Kaiba, and he had been laughed out of his office in return.

"I know, I'm being an asshole about it," Kaiba said lightly, wishing Yami would turn around to face him. "I know what you're going through…and I'm—"

Kaiba cut himself off abruptly, wondering what he was just about to say. Sorry?  
No, absolutely fucking not.  
Was he supposed to be sorry for confusing the shit out of his rival?  
He was definitely not sorry for helping Yami realize he could possibly have feelings for the same gender.

Besides, the time they had spent together so far had been amazing, and very sexually satisfying. There was nothing to apologize for.

"You're what?" Yami growled, glancing behind himself quickly and seeing Kaiba's head lowered so much, his brown bangs obscured his eyes.

"I'm speechless," Kaiba said quickly, hoping this would save him. "And it is…a struggle. So, let me help you."

"You've _helped_ me enough, thanks," Yami replied sarcastically, his stomach churning strangely again at the memory of Kaiba's tongue grazing his lower lip, tasting of fresh sesame and sweet red bean.  
He had kissed Kaiba several times before then, so why was that so resolutely stuck in his head?

A slender hand shot past his ear as Kaiba tapped a white keycard against the reader on the wall, and the elevator bell dinged softly in the silence.

"I'll show you something that usually clears my mind," Kaiba said hurriedly, throwing Yami a hasty smile. "Interested?"

"Alcohol?" Yami said knowingly, shaking the blond bangs from his eyes and stepping into the elevator first. "No thanks."

"No," Kaiba replied, daring to feel hopeful as the elevator sank quickly, the sound of air rushing loudly in the enclosed space.

"I'm done playing your guessing games," Yami said, tapping his foot impatiently and watching the elevator doors slide open. "Tell me what it is."

Kaiba stepped out first and pointed at his sleek black sports car sitting in a lone spot in the empty parking garage, throwing Yami another playful smile over his shoulder. "Adrenaline."

Relishing in Yami's shocked expression, Kaiba tossed him the keys and watched them bounce off his chest and hit the cement with a resounding clink.

"Seriously?" Kaiba folded his arms across his chest, exasperated at Yami's lack of enthusiasm. "Come on. Drive fast, feel alive. Get in."

Bending down shakily, Yami picked up the set of keys and slowly pressed the button, seeing the angular headlights flash white in response, followed by a sharp blip that echoed too loudly in the empty garage.

Oh…no, this was dangerous! But…fun?

"I'm just…driving every single one of your cars now, aren't I?" Yami said weakly, smiling in spite of himself as he walked to the driver's side, his fingertips tingling with excitement.

"You're only getting the shitty ones," Kaiba replied cattily, opening his door and giving Yami a playful grin over the roof of the car.

"You drive your shitty cars to work?" Yami shot back cleverly, pulling the door open quickly.

He froze, staring at the interior, his confusion rising.  
Where to begin?

The seats were made with sleek black leather, complete with accent red stitching. Incredible.  
Even the inside looked like Kaiba's personality…but there was a tangle of belts sitting in the seat, and a solid red metal frame arched against the car's ceiling, wrapping around the backseat.

"Yeah," Kaiba said carelessly, bending down and inching the seat back to make room for his long legs. "Shitty cars are for work. Nice cars are for the weekends, and date nights…not that you would know."

He glanced at Yami who was still standing motionless by the door, refusing to get in.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Yami breathed, thinking he had never even v seen a car like this before in his life, much less driven one. He quickly retracted the statement he had made earlier in his head about Kumi driving cooler cars than Kaiba, because this car… _was cool._

He ducked down into the car and shuffled around the seatbelt uncomfortably, hearing Kaiba snicker beside him.

"Is the harness too much for you?" he taunted, reaching between Yami's legs boldly and pulling the seatbelt out from under him, hearing the pharaoh let out a startled hiss and glare at him.

"Do you strap yourself in like this every time?" Yami asked indignantly, blushing furiously the moment Kaiba reached intrusively between his thighs to buckle him into the impossibly complicated seat.

"Yes," Kaiba replied patiently, tightening the harness around Yami's chest and leaning back to buckle himself in, smirking. "Now, we won't die."

"We'll see about that," Yami muttered, stabbing the key into the ignition and turning it with a little too much force, jumping with surprise as the car sprung to life and roared back at him.

Everything around them shook, and Yami blinked very slowly, taking in the bright dials on the dashboard.

"Oh, and two rules." Kaiba grinned, enjoying Yami's array of new expressions flitting across his face with every passing second. "Don't kill us, and don't get pulled over."

"…Got it," Yami breathed, composing himself. His mood began lightening wonderfully the moment he settled into the stiff seat, enjoying how crisp everything felt, from the sharp edge of the seat belt digging into his hip, to the smooth finish of the steering wheel.

Amazing.  
This was probably why Kaiba enjoyed driving a new car every three months.  
This was what a new car felt like!

He rested his hand on the shift knob, trying to hide his nervousness. He had never learned how to drive one of these. Why did it feel like he was operating a spaceship instead of a car?  
This…did not feel like any car he had ever driven before.

"I'll do it," Kaiba said easily, resting his hand gently onto Yami's much tenser one. "Just focus on driving."

Yami felt Kaiba's hand tighten down on top of his and he tensed, understanding that Kaiba was going to use any excuse during this car ride to touch him.

Gripping the wheel tighter, he eased the car onto the main road and felt himself sweat.

The car was hypersensitive to his every touch, and it was frightening.  
Just lowering his foot on the pedal by a centimeter would make them lurch forward awkwardly at a stop light, earning a scornful snicker from Kaiba, which made Yami even more aware of how badly he was driving.

"Take the freeway," Kaiba instructed, his voice almost lost in the rumble of the engine echoing around them in the tiny cabin.

Nodding stiffly, Yami drove onto the ramp and breathed a tight sigh of relief when he saw the long, empty expanse of road before him.

Now he didn't have to worry about running into anyone at a red light….

"Step on it!" Kaiba said gleefully, yanking Yami's hand down on the shift knob without warning, and the car hummed excitedly in response. "Now!"

Holding his breath, Yami steadily applied pressure to the pedal, and the car responded instantaneously, zooming forward with such power, his back slammed into the seat and stuck there.

The roar of the engine became deafening as the needle on the dial rose threateningly closer to the red line. Yami's ears rang tinny with disbelief while his heart thundered furiously in his chest. How fast were they going?! Too fast…in this tiny car, the windows were rattling slightly, the scenery was nothing but a grey blur and the road before them seemed to stretch on endlessly, encouraging him to go even faster.

Now thoroughly frightened, Yami eased up on the pedal and felt the car slow down, and Kaiba's hand on top of his was damp as he moved the lever up to help adjust for the change in speed.

Yami's heart slowed to a steady pound along with the car, seeing the color return to normal in the scenery around them.

"…Again," Kaiba said simply, tightening his fingers down over Yami's knuckles and Yami shook his head frantically.

"I was going too fast—"

"The car can take it even if you go past the red line," Kaiba said steadily, feeling the blood rush to his cheeks with excitement. "Everything is light. Windows are plastic. We're strapped in…go!"

"Plastic?!" Yami cried, his hands slipping on the wheel with sweat, but before he could say anything else, Kaiba's hand tightened over his again while he gave the shifter a violent yank downwards, and the car hummed enthusiastically in response.

Still mildly worried, Yami stamped down on the pedal and dared himself to enjoy the way they shot forward with sudden force, and Kaiba's hearty laughter sounded wonderful in his ears.

Red tail lights from another car were approaching them fast, and Kaiba pushed the knob upwards frantically, shouting over the noise. "Don't yank! Easy does it!"

Cold all over and numb with adrenaline, Yami gave the wheel the softest nudge to the left, and they zoomed past the other car after switching lanes easily.

"Good!" Kaiba grinned, glancing at Yami and enjoying his flushed expression.

"I-I think I've had enough now," Yami replied weakly, barely able to hear himself over the growling engine. It was getting unbearably stuffy, and his nervous sweat wasn't helping.

"Go down the next ramp," Kaiba said casually, pointing at a sign that whizzed by above them too fast for Yami to read. "I know a place we can stop."

Yami nodded again, barely breathing. He pulled the car off the freeway and down through a deserted road with a lone stop light. Everything looked unfamiliar and no other cars or buildings were in sight.

"Follow the road," Kaiba encouraged, shifting uncomfortably in the stiff seat. His back was drenched in sweat and it was sticking terribly to his skin.

Yami did as he was told, feeling his arms grow weak and begin to shake. That had been simultaneously very scary and incredible! How much further? And where were they?

"We're at the crossing…" Kaiba mumbled to himself, gazing up at the single light hanging from a wire above them. "Left here…I think, then a right at the nearest—"

"You _think_?" Yami echoed, slowing the car to a solid stop at the light and gazing around the dark road, seeing absolutely nothing. "Where are we? And Kaiba, you need to be sure—"

"I'm sure," Kaiba snapped, pointing at the dark road. "Left."

Yami grit his teeth and pulled the car in the direction Kaiba was pointing, feeling the road grow increasingly bumpier the longer they traveled down it.

To his immense relief, a pair of lights flanking a black gate rose into view, and he could barely make out a property further down the road.

"See? I was right," Kaiba said arrogantly. He slid his phone out to give it a tap, and the gates opened slowly.

Yami inched the rumbling car forward through the darkness and heard Kaiba command him to stop. He turned the key, and everything fell eerily silent.

They sat together in silence for a stifling moment before Kaiba unbuckled himself with ease and climbed out of the car for air.

Glancing down at the seatbelt trapping him in place, Yami gave it a frantic tug, hearing Kaiba's laugh echoing outside his window. His door was pulled open and slender hands helped him out of the harness.

"Fuck…" Yami growled, throwing himself out of the seat and leaning against the side of the car, gasping for breath, his knees suddenly weak. He trembled all over and the cold night air was extremely welcoming.

"How was that?" Kaiba grinned evilly, giving his own chest a few triumphant pats. "You only stepped on it twice and you're like this."

"Shut up," Yami breathed, bending over and bracing himself on his knees, his vision turning slightly green while his head spun violently.

His heart was still pounding fast, his entire body felt too light, and his hearing ability had increased tenfold.

"Better than alcohol," Kaiba declared, his voice fading as he began walking away.

Yami hastened to follow and glanced around excitedly, seeing large house in the distance. He caught up to Kaiba, falling into step beside him, asking, "A friend's place?"

And Yami mentally kicked himself, reminding himself that Kaiba had no friends. Or…did he? Kaiba was always full of surprises.

The moment they approached the front steps, the light flashed on, and Yami blinked slowly, taking in the solid door and the steel lamps hanging on either side of it. This house looked huge! Another one of Kaiba's properties?

Kaiba stood against the door, and Yami heard a soft click of the lock before the door swung open.

"After you," Kaiba said with as much warmth as he could muster. He could barely contain himself. He had successfully "kidnapped" Yami to a remote location, and now they were going to spend a night together, alone.

If the pharaoh did want to leave, he would have to maneuver the super car by himself in order to return home.

Yami stepped cautiously into the dark home, and the warm lights flickered on softly, revealing a very comfortably furnished room with plush couches set in front of a large TV, a fireplace, a kitchen and a dining table.

It was large, but oddly modest for Kaiba.

"A…rental?" Yami ventured, kicking his shoes off at the mat and wandering towards the TV, seeing consoles sitting neatly on the cabinets beside it.

He recognized several game titles and realized with a jolt that they were Mokuba's.

"No, it's mine," Kaiba scoffed, taking off his blazer and hanging it on the hook behind the door. "Bathroom is down the hall if you need a shower."

Yami glanced down the dark hall, registering several rooms before he shook his head tightly and decided to remain silent.

Something felt off, and it was almost as if he had just fallen into a trap.

Was Kaiba intending on spending the night here?

"We're spending the night here," Kaiba said gleefully, echoingYami's thoughts aloud, relishing in his shocked expression. "Make yourself comfortable."

"We're going back," Yami hissed, curling his fists nervously and eyeing the windows. "I didn't intend to spend the night here in your…cabin."

"Cabin?" Kaiba threw his head back and laughed, fully aware that the more he behaved like this, the more thrown-off Yami would be, and that was exactly what he wanted.

Yami folded his arms tightly across his chest with growing apprehension, watching Kaiba laugh.  
Fine. He would spend the night here, but nothing would happen.

"There's food," Kaiba said simply, pointing at the kitchen before he disappeared down the hall and closed the bathroom door with a resounding click.

Yami stood very still in the middle of the room, breathing shallowly, listening to his own heartbeat in his chest as he stared at all the comfortable furniture surrounding him.

It all looked so different from the sleek, white and steel furnishings he was accustomed to seeing in Kaiba's home and office.  
If anything, perhaps this place represented a more genuine version of Kaiba, and of course, this place was hard to find, out in the middle of nowhere…just like Kaiba's true personality.  
Isolated, but genuine when it mattered.

Feeling a bit more at ease, Yami paced the length of the room, walking into the kitchen and pulling open the refrigerator, seeing it stocked with vegetables that were looking slightly limp.

 _These have been here for a while,_ Yami thought worriedly, pulling everything out and setting it on the counter, wondering if he should whip up something quickly, using everything he possibly could to avoid wasting food.

His stomach grumbled happily in response, so Yami busied himself with washing the vegetables in the sink, trying not to let his mind wander sinfully.

Meanwhile, in the shower, Kaiba stood stiffly under the water, trying to relax.  
Was he being stupid?  
Hoping that Yami would somehow want to jump him the way he jumped Kumi because they were spending time together, alone?

 _But I'm not a woman!_ Kaiba thought furiously, giving himself a quick scrub before he shut off the water and stood motionless in the steam-filled room.

There also wasn't any alcohol stocked because this was his sober house, the one he took Mokuba to when they wanted to get away from the world for a weekend.

Maybe this location had been a bad idea.  
Maybe Yami was only interested in him as a sex friend.

Or maybe he should throw himself at Yami…naked, and deal with the consequences later.

Growling in frustration, he decided to do just that.

Kaiba threw a towel around himself didn't bother getting dressed before he stormed out of the bathroom and skidded to a halt when he strode past the kitchen, catching the mouth-watering scent of steamed vegetables and…chicken soup?

Rooted to the spot and still dripping wet from the shower, Kaiba gaped at the scene before him.

Yami was…cooking something.

Yami heard Kaiba pause behind him and he turned around, almost dropping the ladle in surprise as he stared at Kaiba standing half-naked before him with his wet hair matted handsomely across his forehead.

His heart skipped a solid beat when he noticed clear beads of water sitting enticingly on Kaiba's muscular chest, and he looked away frantically, almost burning himself after splashing the ladle back into the soup.

H-Holy shit! What a shock!

"Put some damn clothes on," Yami growled, anxiously stirring the vegetables in the pan, thankful he hadn't burnt them after his moment of obvious staring.

"What…are you doing?" Kaiba asked quietly, his stomach churning suddenly with hunger, and his knees grew weak.

Oh fuck…and he had just remembered that he had not eaten…all day.

"Making something. I'm starving," Yami replied carelessly, shutting off the flame and scraping the vegetables into the soup. "And I've decided I will use your shower. Watch this, won't you?"

Kaiba blinked rapidly, wondering what Yami meant by that, and he nodded.

Yami gave him a strange side-eye, his violet eyes narrow with suspicion.

"Well?" Yami raised his eyebrows and edged around the kitchen counter, allowing Kaiba a wide berth. "Watch it and stir. And put on a shirt before anything burns you."

There was a long silence. Yami tilted his head curiously, taking in Kaiba's wide-eyed expression and nervous fists clenched at his sides.

"You don't know how to cook, do you?" Yami asked dryly, his incredulity rising by the minute. "Kaiba?"

He had never considered it, but perhaps Kaiba never had the time to cook, probably always having a maid or servant prepare it for him.

"Of course I know how to cook," Kaiba lied indignantly, moving towards the boiling pot and picking up the ladle, doing his best to hide his anxiety. "Fuck off. I've got it from here."

"Right," Yami said, smiling and eyeing Kaiba's uncertain movements with glee. "Well, if it burns by the time I come out of the wash, we'll have nothing to eat. That's all the food you have here."

Kaiba's blood ran cold and he let go the ladle, giving Yami a frantic glance, his heart skipping nervous beats in his chest. W-What?!

Yami let out a deep laugh and leaned against the counter, looking smug, "I know that look. Yes, Kaiba, I used all the food in your refrigerator. It was all about to spoil anyway. You're welcome."

"Then…finish what you started," Kaiba said heatedly, backing away from the stove and giving Yami a vicious glare, hearing Yami laugh heartily again, causing wonderful goosebumps to rise along his arms.

Smiling coyly, Yami nudged Kaiba aside and picked up the ladle again, giving the soup a slow stir and feeling his rival hover uncertainly behind him like a hawk.

"I said fuck off and put on a shirt," Yami demanded, suppressing another laugh as he watched Kaiba shake his head stubbornly in response.

"I can do it. It's fucking easy," Kaiba insisted, elbowing Yami aside and feeling his ears burn with embarrassment. "You reek, so _you_ fuck off."

"Fine." Yami smirked, and strode off down the hall, calling playfully over his shoulder, "turn the heat down!"

Stressed, Kaiba gave the knob a tentative turn and stood back, watching the pot bubble merrily. His stomach was doing odd somersaults and his heart fluttered strangely.

He didn't know Yami could…cook?

 _He lives alone,_ Kaiba realized he had never really given Yami's home life a second thought, and he steadily stirred the soup. _I should step it up and find my way into his apartment._

He kept raking the ladle through the soup, lost in his own thoughts about what Yami's living situation was like.

Meanwhile in the bathroom, Yami had finished his shower and was standing awkwardly in the steam-filled room, wondering if he could steal one of Kaiba's clean shirts from one of the rooms he had walked past.

Would that be weird?

Deciding not to think about it too much, he tiptoed out of the bathroom and into Kaiba's room, flipping on the lights and making a beeline for the dresser.

He yanked the drawers open one by one, dismayed to see that they were all ties, belts and accessories.

Panicking slightly, Yami moved to the large closets set against the wall and he rummaged through the steel hangers, pleased to find a set of silk pajamas.

Triumphant, he grabbed them hastily and threw it on, enjoying the cool softness of the fabric against his skin.

The pants were too big, so he tossed it aside and stared at the dresser drawer full of underwear.

Shrugging to himself, Yami dove back into the underwear drawer and pulled out a blue and white striped boxer brief, snickering to himself.  
Was he going to hell for stealing Kaiba's underwear and sleepwear?  
Yes, but it was so comfortable!

 _I'm keeping this,_ Yami thought resolutely, pressing his face into the pajama sleeve and taking a deep breath, feeling warm all over.

Kaiba's scent…was so similar to Kumi's floral and coffee….

Scent…

Yami froze, sitting down slowly on the cold hardwood floor, his mind spinning with incredulity.

What were the chances that two people had the same scent? Slim.

He pressed his face into the pajama sleeve again and took another deep breath, letting Kaiba's musk fill his lungs, and he exhaled slowly.

The only way he could confirm this more solidly was if…he had an article of Kumi's.

Shaking the thought off nervously, Yami rose to his feet and padded down the hall, his heart skipping beats in his chest the closer he got to the kitchen.

His froze with shock, seeing Kaiba standing naked at the stove, casually stirring the pot that been brought down to a low boil, and Yami swallowed thickly, staring shamelessly at Kaiba's pale ass cheeks.

His legs were beautifully slender and…Yami could barely see the soft curve of Kaiba's balls.

"Honestly, Kaiba…" Yami finally found his voice after a long moment, causing Kaiba to jump after being startled. "Something will splash…and burn you."

"Shut up, it's already done," Kaiba said nervously, unsure if was properly cooked all the way through, but he shut the flame off anyway for the sake of appearances.

Yami elbowed him aside roughly to pick the pot up by the handles, transferring it to the counter behind them.

Blinking rapidly, the air left Kaiba's lungs in a rough squeeze the moment he saw Yami looking sexy as hell in his silk shirt paired with…his own striped underwear.

H-Holy fuck! Was that an…invitation?

No longer hungry and now extremely aroused, Kaiba reached out to grope Yami's ass, his fingers slipping wonderfully on the soft flesh, and he ran his hand down the back of Yami's thigh, earning a frantic yell and a sharp pain stung his toes when Yami stomped his heel down onto him in protest.

"Stop," Yami hissed, dodging Kaiba fearfully and making sure the counter separated them.

Kaiba watched with rising intrigue as Yami dipped straight into the pot and began eating.

"You even behave like you're poor," Kaiba said playfully with mock disgust, but a loud grumble from his stomach gave him away. "Weren't you a king in your past life?"

"You save yourself a dish this way," Yami replied indignantly with his mouth full, handing Kaiba the ladle. "And using this saves you a spoon."

Kaiba rolled his eyes but obliged readily because he was too hungry to argue. He pulled the pot towards himself and began eating in earnest, hearing a low growl from Yami across the counter.

"…And eating this way…teaches you how to share," Yami hissed, yanking the pot closer to himself and pointing accusingly at Kaiba's bare chest. " _Please_ put on some clothes."

"No." Kaiba bared his teeth stubbornly in response and pulled the pot back towards his own chest, sloshing the soup dangerously inside.

He snatched the ladle from Yami's fingers and continued to eat, feeling his ears and cheeks burn with horrible humiliation. He couldn't believe himself.

If he had told his past self that he would be fully naked in his own kitchen while eating food that Yami had made, then he wouldn't believe himself.

Yami blushed furiously and walked away.

He made himself comfortable on the couch and crossed his legs firmly, staring at the blank TV screen, desperately ignoring the stubborn, random boner that was poking up between his legs through the thin fabric of his borrowed underwear.

Why was Kaiba behaving like an entirely different person?  
It seemed to happen more often the longer they were alone, the Yami was more disturbed by the fact that he was steadily getting used to it.

He heard footsteps approaching, and before he could compose himself or protest, Kaiba threw himself down on the couch beside him and grinned handsomely at him.

Flushing with embarrassment, Yami looked away pointedly, "Kaiba…I implore you, to please…put on some cl—"

"You're wearing my only set," Kaiba interrupted easily, trying not to feel too uncomfortable in his own skin when he caught another heated glare from Yami. Was this working? Or was he acting too forward…too crazy?  
Maybe it was too much to hope that his own naked body would make Yami feel anything other than mild disgust.

"I left the pants. Wear those," Yami replied nastily, and there was a long silence before Kaiba got up and walked into the hallway.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Yami dared himself to relax.

Almost too soon, Kaiba returned, thankfully wearing pants, and carrying a thick comforter.

Yami winced when Kaiba nearly smothered him with the blanket, and he fought back frantically. The covers pressed down around his body in response, effectively trapping him underneath the thick sheet, and he let out a growl, kicking out for good measure, hoping to catch Kaiba in the groin, but to his dismay, Kaiba dodged him and laughed triumphantly somewhere above him.

"Kaiba…stop!" Yami cried, thrashing out quickly as the air grew stuffy around him.

Breathless with a mixture of anger and excitement, Kaiba kept Yami straddled beneath him before pulling the covers up off his head, letting him up for air and gazing down at his beautifully flushed face.

"You lose," Kaiba said simply, and Yami blinked angrily up at him in response. "Now tell me, what's so good about her? What's one thing you like about her?"

"Who?" Yami frowned, unable to think clearly. His mind hummed strangely, and Kaiba's weight on top of him was arousing….

What's more, Kaiba was sitting directly on top of his boner, putting pressure on his already leaking erection.

"Seriously?" Kaiba growled, raising the edge of the covers threateningly. "Do I need to bury you again before you tell me?"

"Wh—" Yami gasped, and the covers were once again yanked over his head, stifling him terribly. It finally dawned on him that Kaiba was asking about Kumi, and somewhere in the back of his mind, he understood that Kaiba was jealous.

"She's beautiful…she's pretty! Let me up!" Yami shouted hoarsely, wrestling Kaiba back with all of his strength, his erection throbbing painfully while Kaiba shifted his weight on top of him after pulling the covers off of his head.

"That's it?" Kaiba narrowed his eyes, his chest swirling with rage and disappointment. "Shallow. Move on from her."

"No, but she's…mysterious," Yami said keenly, shoving Kaiba's hand away from his face with a huge effort, but Kaiba leaned heavily onto him, pressing the edge of the comforter against his chin threateningly.

"How?" Kaiba hissed, feeling very close to losing it. If he found out everything Yami liked about Kumi, all he had to do was destroy the illusion surrounding her. Easy, right?

"She…she doesn't talk," Yami breathed, his heart thundering in his chest as he gazed into Kaiba's clear blue eyes, which had grown unusually dark. "So, I don't know anything about her."

" _We_ don't talk much," Kaiba retaliated, "And you know nothing about me."

"True," Yami struggled to sit up but failed, and he patted Kaiba's arm weakly, silently asking to be let up. "Have I entertained you enough yet?"

"No," Kaiba said darkly, pressing his forehead down onto Yami's and making sure their noses bumped. "Forget about her. You like me, don't you?"

Yami held his breath, his heart fluttering wildly in his chest as Kaiba's words echoed strangely in his head.

"But…I like her too," Yami said faintly, his head spinning with confusion. "I came to talk with you about this, but you laughed me out of your office. Then we went for a drive—"

"She doesn't like you back," Kaiba hissed, his palms sweating into the comforter the tighter he gripped it. "So for the last time…forget about her."

Yami gazed deeply into Kaiba's eyes for a long moment, counting his own heartbeats, feeling his body grow warm at the thought of Kaiba's head between his legs. He blinked, the image changing quickly to Kumi's flowing brown hair draped over his knees, and he swallowed thinly, growing even more conflicted.

"I'm aware," Yami said softly, and to his immense relief, Kaiba let him up and sat back into the cushions, looking deeply harassed.

"Good," Kaiba said, more to himself that anyone else.  
Yami was aware that Kumi was out of his league. This meant that he would forget about her…right?

"Well, I'm going to see her one last time," Yami said, and Kaiba grit his teeth, his hopes shattering. "I really need my phone back."

"I'll have her mail it to you," Kaiba said, wondering why Yami suddenly felt so far away. "What else do you need from her?"

"Swimsuit photos!" Yami replied, sounding exasperated, and Kaiba gaped at him, unable to hide his own shock and disgust.

There was another long, awkward silence, and Yami sank lower beneath the covers, his cheeks heating up with shame.

"I just need her to model for the spring edition, and my bonus will be secure for the next quarter."

"So…you need the _money_?" Kaiba fumed, realizing the problem could've been solved very easily. "How much do you need? No, don't even tell me. I'll just write you a check."

"I have dignity," Yami shot back, his body burning with a strange, terrible fire. "I won't take your money. And I happen to like her as a person too, so no, it's not for the money, because everything is money, with you, Kaiba—"

"And what if her breasts are fake?" Kaiba interjected, sticking his feet under the covers and kicking Yami's legs off the couch to make room for himself. "Her hair is fake, oh, and she has a dick?"

"Very funny," Yami fumed, propping his legs back up on the couch and forcefully slipping them underneath Kaiba's legs. "And so what if she does? I know my way around one, thanks to you."

Kaiba blinked, shocked and speechless. Well...if Yami was so sure then, it was fine to tell him that he was Kumi, right?

There was a long silence, but this time, it was slightly warmer and more comfortable.

"Hey…" Kaiba spoke up quietly, trying to control the nervous pounding of his heart. "Ever seen me in women's clothes?"

"No," Yami replied despondently, tucking his arm under his head and closing his eyes stubbornly. "Why would I want to? Why would anyone want to? Really, Kaiba?"

Kaiba bit his tongue, raging privately to himself as he scrambled to correct his mistake. "I mean, don't you think we'd fucking look the same? Her…and me. Open your damn eyes, Pharaoh and look at me."

Yami lifted one eyelid and hurriedly closed it, turning over onto his side and sighing, "I'll make you a deal, Kaiba. Want to hear it?"

Kaiba nodded silently and waited patiently for Yami to continue.

"Let me finish my work with Kumi and give me time to come to terms with my feelings," he said, keeping his eyes closed and listening to his own loud heartbeat in his ears.  
Would Kaiba accept?

"But…you do like me?" Kaiba said in a rush, desperately wanting a verbal confirmation. "After you're done photographing her for your fucking magazine, you'll forget about her."

"I will do my best," Yami said earnestly, opening his eyes and seeing a strange expression sitting on Kaiba's face. "I've never been able to start a relationship with any of the girls I've photographed. I don't expect her to hang around, even if she does act differently from the other girls."

Kaiba frowned, wondering what this meant.

Yami wasn't finished explaining himself. "Regardless of how I feel, it's like you said. She doesn't like me back. I know when to stop wasting my own time, Kaiba. Good night and stop staring at me while I'm sleeping."

The comforter rustled as Yami snuggled himself down lower and enjoyed the way his toes were pleasantly warm against Kaiba's skin. He frowned and tried to suppress the strange bubble of guilt rising in his chest.

Kaiba would understand…right?  
Being with a man wasn't something that just…happened.

Kumi was always going to be his first choice, because she was a woman, plain and simple.

Besides, Kaiba had been with plenty of women before he switched his preference to men, so this was like that…right?

He heard a resigned sigh from Kaiba and the comforter rustled warmly again.

Everything was silent, with nothing but their steady, even breathing filling the room.

Kaiba gazed up at the ceiling, trying to quell the turmoil churning in his chest.  
Fine. If Yami wanted more time to figure out his feelings, then the least he could do was give his rival some space.

If anything, his Kumi persona had brought them closer together because they were now sleeping on the couch, under the same sheet with their legs intertwined, and this felt nice, comforting, and familiar.

* * *

 **Author's note:**

yami tries to sort out his bisexual feelings with kaiba who unfortunately is the worst listener on the planet, and suggested that they "drive fast" instead. Yami gets the ride of his life and discovers a gentler side of kaiba that he likes very much, and the two rivals fall asleep under a blanket after a rare heart-to-heart.

edited by setokaibaes/marshmallons

thanks for reading this week's chapter!

Cherry blossoms are blooming soon. Would you like to see some photos?

-Ugli


	14. Would that be okay?

Kaiba heard his phone buzzing and he rolled over tiredly, reaching towards his nightstand and patting the surface which was oddly lumpy.

Frowning, he rested his hand down on the lump and cracked an eye open, feeling toes under his palm.

Instantly wide awake, Kaiba found himself staring at Yami's blanket-covered foot.

Frozen with shock, he quickly recalled the events from last night and composed himself.

His phone was still buzzing somewhere in the room, and the sound was driving him insane.

Carefully extracting himself from the covers, he tiptoed to his blazer which was still hanging from the hook behind the door, and he dug into the pocket, his fingers closing triumphantly around his phone.

He rushed back to the couch and inched underneath the sheets, careful not to disturb Yami.

After making himself comfortable, Kaiba clicked his screen on, wondering why there was an email notification from a no-reply sender.

Spam. How irritating.

He opened the email and the first sentence made his heart stop in his chest.

 _14 users have replied to your post concerning,_ " _I am in a situation where he is my FWB but he is clearly in love with someone else, someone so similar to me, its infuriating."  
_  
Kaiba hastily tapped the link and scrolled down to his original post, his heart racing a thousand beats per minute as he read the replies.

 _"Why do women do this to themselves? Just withhold what he's after (the sex) and have some self-respect. If hes still after the "similar woman" then clearly, he doesn't know whats good for himself. Dump him."_

 _"Sorry but the original poster who wrote this is stupid. "relationship works so I don't wanna dump him?" my can opener works, but its rusting. Throw it out because rust spreads. It's still unhealthy. You can easily find another man who will do the same, if not more, probably for a lot less."_

 _"I agree that its hard to find someone who will work well with your preferences. But if your situation is FWB, then asking him to stick around could be dangerous. He knows he's there for the ***, and you know that too. Why bother asking for more?"_

 _"Just accept that the other woman will be his first choice."_

 _"Talk with the other woman. tell her back off because you want to seriously date your FWB."_

 _"Kill the other woman over a coffee."_

Kaiba rolled his eyes, feeling Yami shift over in his sleep, sticking his foot over his leg. Sleeping on the couch with Yami was so nice…because he was so warm!

Tingling all over with happiness, Kaiba kept reading.

 _"Agree with user above. Get rid of your competition and he will realize you're the only one."_

 _"Is the other woman your sister? You said "similar"? how similar?"_

 _"easy solution: just share him."_

 _"make him buy you something expensive then break up with him."_

 _"convince him to be with you by leaving him. Men always want what they can't have."_

 _"make the other woman leave him too. Men like this should remain single their entire lives."_

 _"Get rid of the other woman."_

Sighing quietly, Kaiba clicked his phone off and shoved it underneath the couch cushions, closing his eyes and feeling them heat up with frustration.

So unhelpful.  
Everyone was advising him to do the things he had already planned to do.

"Get rid of the other woman" meant taking Kumi out of the equation…but he had already messed that up for himself by letting Yami photograph him for the magazine.

Hating himself for his own stupidity, Kaiba turned over and threw his legs spitefully around Yami's outstretched ones, clamping down tightly and refusing to let go.

Yami would wake up tangled in his legs and he would not let up until Yami agreed to never see Kumi again.

Yami stretched happily, enjoying the sudden warmth, and his toes brushed along something hard.

He recoiled instantly, prying his eyes open and forcing himself awake.

He saw Kaiba, fast asleep, propped up on the couch pillows, his face peaceful, his breathing soft and even.

Holding his breath, Yami tentatively moved his foot again, and realized his heel was sitting right against Kaiba's erection, and he froze, mildly terrified. His other leg had somehow been trapped under Kaiba's body, and Kaiba's long legs were resting on either side of his hips.

Yami gave Kaiba's erection another nudge with his heel out of pure spite, and to his mild surprise, there was no reaction from Kaiba.

Sitting up slowly, Yami gazed steadily into Kaiba's sleeping face, taking in his wonderfully strong jawline and pale skin that seemed to glow in the early morning light.

He tried to retract his leg again but found that it was still resolutely stuck under Kaiba's sleeping body.

Annoyed, Yami gave Kaiba's dick another rough nudge, feeling his head rush strangely. Kaiba looked so peaceful when he was asleep…it was unsettling.

Kaiba used all of his willpower to keep his breathing even and remain relaxed. Yami was rubbing his erection with his heel and it felt…heavenly. Suddenly, a hot breath drifted past his nose, and Kaiba almost opened his eyes, his heart pounding thickly in his chest.

H-Holy shit. What the fuck was Yami doing?

Warm hands padded down the front of his bare chest and rested over his pectorals. Kaiba was bursting with questions but he remained still.

Yami shamelessly groped Kaiba's muscular chest, wondering if it could compare to breasts, but then realized he had never properly held a pair of breasts before, so there was nothing to compare it to.

Kaiba's nipple perked up under his palm, and Yami gave it a mindless rub, deciding that breasts didn't matter after all. Kaiba's muscular pectorals were curvy enough to pass as breasts, and they felt amazing.

Unable to help himself, Yami pressed his face forward between them and inhaled lightly, taking in Kaiba's wonderful scent.  
This was…quite nice.  
He smelled like fresh-baked bread and the air after spring rain.

Exhaling slowly, Yami trailed his hand up and down Kaiba's chest, keeping his cheek against the warm skin and closing his eyes, feeling himself grow aroused.  
This was more than nice. It was exquisite. Kaiba's body was hard and stiff, and Yami daringly slipped his hand down Kaiba's hip, resting it gently on a slender hipbone.

Kaiba grit his teeth and swallowed thinly, realizing Yami had curled up against his chest and was still feeling him up. This was amazing. Better than what he could've hoped for. The pharaoh's hands were going lower…lower…

" _Just withhold what he's after (the sex) and have some self-respect."_

Frowning to himself, Kaiba opened his eyes and stared up at the high ceiling, his stomach curling with a mixture of dread and annoyance. Why was Yami doing this when he was clearly after Kumi?

A cold hand circled Yami's wrist, and Yami froze, realizing Kaiba was awake. Crap.

"Kaiba—" Yami found himself shoved aside violently, and his cheek hit the couch cushion.

Kaiba stood and began walking towards his clothes, resolutely ignoring him.

Yami was crushed.

He watched silently as Kaiba stepped into his slacks and buckled his belt with strange determination over his blatant erection.

"You didn't like that?" Yami ventured carefully, curling his fingers tightly over a cushion, feeling his cheeks burn with disappointment. "I'm sorry."

"No, you're fucking not," Kaiba retorted, reaching for his shirt and throwing it on carelessly. "Don't molest me in my sleep."

"I thought you liked it!" Yami retaliated, rising to his feet and shivering slightly from the cold. "You're so hard to please."

Kaiba gave Yami a cold, appraising look and resumed buttoning the front of his shirt, letting the silence grow heavy between them.

Frustrated, Yami approached Kaiba and stood before him with his arms crossed. "What's the matter with you? You're acting like a completely different person today."

"No," Kaiba said simply, fixing the front of his hair with a practiced sweep of his fingers. "Same person, different standards."

"What the hell?" Yami growled, moving to block the door. He had a feeling Kaiba was close to marching out the door and leaving him stranded in the vacation home.

"You don't get to touch me," Kaiba said calmly, feeling himself shake as he wondered if he was doing the right thing. "If you're still hell-bent on seeing that other girl, I want nothing to do with you."

Yami gave Kaiba an exasperated look. "Kaiba, I need that girl. Just for one more week. Can you live with that? I work with her. It's for work."

"Say 'work' one more goddamn time," Kaiba seethed, his patience thinning incredibly fast as he remembered the other comment left by another user.

 _"Dating a man who is married to his work is worse than dating a man who cheats!"_

"I…don't know what you want from me," Yami said venomously, also losing his temper. "Why are you punishing me for who I work with?"

"Because you like her!" Kaiba hissed, now properly angry. He gave up buttoning his shirt and reached for his vest. "I refuse to be second in anything, and I will not be your second choice."

Yami fell silent and stared blankly at Kaiba, slowly digesting his words.  
Kaiba wasn't his second choice at all.  
If he wanted to date a man, Kaiba was his first choice.  
If he wanted to date a woman, Kumi was his first choice.  
Why couldn't Kaiba understand that?

"You are not my second choice for anything," Yami started carefully, but much to his dismay, Kaiba had already stopped listening and was pushing past him, trying to get out the door.

"Kaiba…listen to me!" Yami insisted, fighting Kaiba for the doorknob, desperate for the CEO to hear him out. "Bikini photos will be the last—"

"Shut up!" Kaiba shouted, his ears ringing with the sound of his own voice, and Yami let go of the doorknob gently, understanding that the conversation was over.

"I'm not riding back with you," Kaiba sneered, his chest tight with anger and irritation at his rival. "I'll send a car."

Yami opened his mouth to protest but was too late. Kaiba had already stormed out the door, leaving him standing helplessly in the doorway.

The car started with a vicious roar and Kaiba drove off without a backwards glance.

Yami sighed heavily and leaned against the doorframe, feeling dangerously close to tears.

This was the worst! Maybe…if he hadn't met Kumi, everything would be different.

 _But if it's not Kumi, Kaiba would be upset about another girl, and another girl_ , Yami thought miserably, shutting the door and moving to sit back down on the couch.

There was no winning.

Kaiba's jealousy knew no bounds, and Yami figured he would wait out the week to finish his business with Kumi before approaching Kaiba again.

In the car, Kaiba gripped the wheel tightly while speeding dangerously down the highway, his mind churning with a thousand possibilities of how their interaction could've ended on a nicer note if he hadn't lost his temper.

He understood that Yami worked with girls…a lot of them, and every single one of them was insufferable.

He was doomed to hate them all, forever.

The sparkling water girl was just the tip of the iceberg.

 _At least…Kumi is me_ , Kaiba reassured himself steadily as he began to calm down. _Yami wants one more week with Kumi? That's all he gets._

Kaiba vowed Kumi would shatter Yami's world the next time they met, and it would require a lot of meticulous planning.

Yami's phone would be returned, and his heart would be permanently broken.

* * *

Yami stepped out of the limousine and hurried inside the building, afraid to be seen by anyone he knew.

His blood boiled with rage at the way Kaiba had left him alone at the vacation house, and to top it all off, he didn't have any of his photo equipment for work, so he was walking in empty-handed…and late.

Dashing through the main entrance, he ran into his co-worker, Boro, approaching at breakneck speed.

"Oh good…you're here! You weren't answering your phone," his co-worker panted, bending over and puffing. "But…great news…great news…."

"What is it?" Yami hissed, grabbing Boro by the arm and dragging him back to the elevators, eager to be out of sight. "You found Kumi's blog?"

"No," Boro shook his head and grinned, leaning against the railing while watching the elevator doors close. "She emailed us saying she'd be willing to do the bikini shoot!"

"Really?!" Yami cried, very taken aback by this new information. Kumi was usually so unrelenting, so unwilling…what had changed?  
Was the world turning upside down?  
Seto Kaiba was being withholding, and Kumi the "elusive beauty" was willing to show her face…in a bikini?

"Yes, so, make arrangements," Boro said proudly, adjusting his cap with excitement. "I can't wait to see her in a bikini."

The elevator stopped and someone got on. They rode in silence for a few more floors until Yami finally found his voice.

"I think it should just be me," Yami said quietly, watching as the other person got out on another floor and the doors slid shut once more. "She's very shy."

"I knew you were going to say that," Boro grumbled, shrugging his shoulders. "You always hide the beauties. First Miyo-chan, and now this one. I get it, Atem, we all have our trade secrets."

"Thank you," Yami said, feeling a rush of relief.

This was great! He could use this photo opportunity to make things right with Kumi, and, if she was willing, having her model for Kaiba's new series of phone cases would earn Kaiba's forgiveness as well.

Yami sighed happily and followed his co-worker out of the elevator with a light heart.

* * *

Kaiba sat very still while his secretary stared him down with her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

He could feel himself breaking out into a cold, nervous sweat.

They had been glaring at each other for the past five minutes after she'd come in.

Kaiba had tried to ignore her for two hours beforehand but had failed miserably because she had effectively cancelled the rest of his day.

Holding his breath, Kaiba watched as she unrolled the magazine from under her arm and began reading aloud. "What I look for in a man—"

"Fine!" Kaiba shook his head wildly, rising to his feet with his cheeks burning terribly with embarrassment. "Fine. Fine. You win."

He had been caught because of his own stupidity.  
Why didn't he re-word the answers?  
She had found out…almost too easily!

"What do I win?" she demanded, tossing the magazine down onto his desk furiously. "You gave the mystery girl my answers! You're dating her! I can't believe you!"

Kaiba's mouth went dry, and he gaped at her, his heart pounding too fast in his chest as he tried to compose himself.

"Well?" she asked stonily, folding her arms across her chest. "The least you could do is say you're sorry, Seto Kaiba. You're unbelievable. You don't even care about the magazine's contents! You only wanted to see _her_!"

Kaiba blinked rapidly, his delirium rising quickly and threatening to explode out of his chest.

Wrong. All wrong. She was totally wrong!

"You want to play the silent game?" she continued, sounding more hurt and upset with each passing second. "You know, I thought…we were somewhat friends, Mr. Kaiba. Even though I work for you, we've been nothing but cordial to each other."

More silence.

Kaiba swayed slightly on the spot, his knees growing weak.  
She thought they were friends? H-Hilarious!  
Or…was it…sort of nice?  
Was this how friends behaved towards each other?

"This feels like you're stabbing me in the back," she said loftily, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "Whoever she is, she has clearly brainwashed you into working for her!"

"She doesn't exist!" Kaiba blurted, unable to stop himself anymore, and he sat down shakily, his chest tight with anxiety at the confession he was about to make.

"She's not real. I made her up."

"Right," his secretary seemed wholly unamused, and she picked up the magazine to open it again, pointing at the glossy photo of a neat, brown braid. "You made her up? That hair? Those legs? Please."

"I mean…" Kaiba took a deep breath and held it, gazing straight into her face as he spoke. "She's me."

His secretary blinked once at him before she threw her head back and laughed heartily.

Stunned and unsure of what to do with himself, Kaiba crossed his legs and folded his arms across his chest protectively.  
Great.  
She was laughing. She didn't believe him.

"Okay, okay, _now y_ ou win." She grinned, pulling a chair forward and sitting down in front of his desk, gasping for breath. "What's going _on_ with you? Just tell me!"

"She's me," Kaiba said easily, feeling a strange weight lift from his shoulders the more he said it. "Do you want proof? Where are the previous editions? Those are my hands. The hair, well, that's fake."

Her mouth dropped open and she leaned forward with glistening eyes. "Really?"

Kaiba nodded stiffly, his heart rate increasing the longer the silence grew between them.

"Really?!" she asked again, inching forward and propping her elbows comfortably atop his desk, gazing incredulously at him. Her eyes trailed down his neck and across his shoulders before landing on his interlaced fingers.

She stared intently at his hands without blinking.

"Yes, really," Kaiba said mindlessly, throwing all pretenses out the window. "Now tell me a good website for a bathing suit, or I'll fire you."

"What?" She gasped, pressing a hand over her mouth, still reeling from the earlier news. "May I ask why?"

"No, you can't," Kaiba answered tersely, now unnerved by her interest. "This will be the last request, I fucking swear."

"I don't...u-understand!" She shook her head, stammering. "The shoes! Oh my gosh! I remembered thinking, I have the same taste as her! That was you?! I thought it was strange that you asked about my—"

"Yeah, that was me," Kaiba said seriously, and he briefly wondered if confessing to Yami would be this easy. "Thanks for your help. Now, where can I find—"

"No, don't interrupt me while I'm talking!" she cried, interrupting Kaiba spitefully. "If you didn't want to do it, you could've told me! My niece really wants to be a model!"

"What?" Kaiba breathed, wondering what plane of existence they were living on.

What was she saying? He never wanted to model for Yami!  
He was strong-armed into it, and now he was in too deep.  
Did she think this was a fun opportunity he had wanted to pass up?

"I guess…they're taking an unconventional direction," his secretary mused, lost in her own thoughts. "Will they mention that you're a man? A lot of men dress-up like this and become quite famous."

"You…are misunderstanding," Kaiba growled, gripping the armrest of his chair tightly. "I was forced into it, and I'm going to disappear. That's why last week's edition was missing the centerfold."

"Ah…" she smiled knowingly, nodding. "You're embarrassed! Well, you can't back out now!"

"No!" Kaiba hissed, finally regaining his composure. "I don't want that. Just…give me a bathing suit website… _online_ , and hurry up."

"I'll email you a list from my personal computer," she shot back sassily, rising to her feet and preening her skirt carefully. "And I'll keep your secret Mr. Kaiba…if you promise not to fire me for the next five years. I like it here."

"Are you blackmailing me?" Kaiba demanded, hearing her laugh merrily again and walk to the door, throwing him a playful look over her shoulder.

"Friends don't blackmail each other," she said cattily. "Friends give each other raises for keeping secrets."

And with that, she disappeared out the door, leaving Kaiba sitting stunned and speechless at his desk.

* * *

Yami read and re-read Kumi's email while fidgeting excitedly in his chair, unable to believe his luck. Kumi had taken the time to reply to him personally!

 _"Dear Mr. Masturbator,_

 _Fine. Since you insist on remaining so freaking "professional", I will agree to meet with you one LAST time, and give you your phone back, even though you have not met any of my demands._

 _I just want to let you know right now that I have a boyfriend, so don't you dare try anything with me, or he will find you and kill you._

 _I'm NOT interested in you. Anymore. I've found someone better. Way better._

 _Your behavior is off-putting, annoying, and creepy._

 _Reply with a time and location. I'm not free Monday through Saturday, and Sundays are my date-days with my boyfriend._

 _So looks like you're gonna have a hard time scheduling a fotoshoot with me, aw too bad._

 _Bye!"_

Very pleased with the response, Yami took it as a good sign and hovered his hands above the keyboard, typing out a reply.

 _"Dear Angel,_

 _Thank you so much. I am really sorry I couldn't find a way to photograph Seto Kaiba for you. He is notoriously private, and you set me on that task knowing I would fail._

 _I did try though. Sometimes he and I go through some rough patches. But hey, I got you another opportunity! Do you want to possibly hand model for Kaiba's phone cases? He's looking for a fresh face and I think you are perfect just the way you are._

 _In fact, I am a little scared that you might get along too well with him, so never mind, I retract that offer and will consider asking Miyo-chan instead._

 _Bye!"_

Yami sent it with vicious determination. He had done his best to imitate her casual, rude tone, and he hoped it would throw her off.

On the other side of the screen, Kaiba _was_ very thrown off.

He stared intently at Yami's words, his eyes watering with anger. He knew Yami was only mentioning the sparkling water girl to piss him off…and he was angry that it worked.

He wrote back with furious speed, his fingers flying over the keyboard, making a few mistakes which he ignored, and he sent it. Leaning back in his chair, Kaiba sipped his whiskey, growling angrily to himself as he waited for Yami to respond.

Yami's jaw dropped open with pleasant surprise at the new email notification, and he clicked it excitedly, his spirits falling as he read her reply.

 _"Dear asshole,_

 _How do you know that Kaiba and I don't already get along? We know each other quite well actually._

 _Also, you don't know the first thing about me aside from the fact that I hate…HATE, mIyO cHaAAAnN, so yea, go ahead, give her the job. I doubt kaiba would consider her anyway since she's such a raging bitch._

 _Wanna guess what im doing now?  
Sending a picture of my dick to all the girls in your email contacts right now._

 _Idk if you can still keep your job as a fotographer after this AHAHAHahahaa sucker._

 _Xo"_

Yami bit his lip so hard, his eyes watered.  
Damn, that had backfired extraordinarily.

He inched closer to his laptop and wrote his reply with frantic haste.

 _"Hey…hey, no need to do that, Kumi-san. Let's keep things professional, yeah?_

 _You have a boyfriend, I understand. I will back off and if you want to feel safer during the bikini shoot, feel free to bring a friend._

 _I don't know who you think I am, but I am not a pervert._

 _How does this Saturday afternoon sound? The sooner the better."_

Kaiba read this email with his jaw clenched tightly.  
Bring a friend? Did Yami think this was going to turn into a hot threesome?  
Fat chance.

 _"No.  
No to all the above. It's not going to be a threesome, you freak. And how perceptive of you. I DON'T feel safe around you and your huge annoying camera._

 _This Saturday might work, but then again, I might have a date on that day too. We'll have to see!_

 _Don't bother replying to this, I'm logging off!"_

 _Crap!_ Yami thought darkly, wondering how he could remedy this situation.

He composed a reply anyway in the most formal tone he could muster, knowing that she would see it.

 _"Kumi-san,_

 _My studio is open to you any time._

 _Just let me know when you are free, even two hours before, and I will make time for you. This will be our last project together, so let's work hard! I'm sure your photos will be a great hit with everyone, and you will gain many fans._

 _I just hope you will remember me when you rise to fame!_

 _-Yami"_

Kaiba frowned at this, wondering why Yami's tone had changed so drastically. He had been mildly enjoying their banter, but it seemed that his rival was all-business now.

Also…Yami had a studio? That was some new information.

Hissing in annoyance, Kaiba slammed his laptop shut and glared at his logo on the case.

Unfamiliar buzzing was coming from Yami's phone connected to his laptop, and he disconnected it quickly, seeing another email pop up, but this time, it was from the co-worker, Boro.

It was titled, "URGENT! Emergency! I'm worried for…"

He waited for the notification to turn grey, indicating that Yami had checked it on his side, but it seemed that Yami had logged off too.

Brimming with curiosity, Kaiba tapped on the email and read through it.

 ** _Subject:_** _URGENT! Emergency! I'm worried for you Atem_

 ** _Body:_**

 _Yo! Atem!_

 _This is…only a rumor, but I heard they might be firing you!_

 _I'm totally serious. I heard it from Rin-san, who overheard Jojo & Mickey talking about it. _

_They said your main spreads don't bring enough revenue, and your girls all run off to be billboards anyway, they don't stay in our hemisphere for long, and the ones that do, end up quitting after several months because, again, they got scouted to star in dramas and commercials._

 _Call me back, man! The fact that you aren't answering Enjo-san's calls are worrying. She thinks you're avoiding her on purpose + you haven't been showing up to any of our team meetings AT ALL for this past MONTH and a HALF!_

 _Are you okay? Is something happening? You can tell me. Is it the new girl, Kumi?  
Or is it something personal? Is it yugi? I didn't see anything in paparazzi news about yugi or anything though._

 _CALL ME BACK! Your job depends on it, and you're the best man on our team, I can't afford to lose you!_

 _-Boro"_

Kaiba skimmed the entire email over again, cursing to himself. Shit.

It seemed that stealing Yami's phone had many unforeseen repercussions.

Yami's job seemed startlingly more serious than Kaiba had originally thought, and he was now beginning to feel a twinge of guilt.

It would be his fault if Yami got fired.  
Entirely his fault.

Rising from his desk, Kaiba walked to his closet, deciding to change the plan. He couldn't wait any longer to give Yami back his phone, because Yami clearly needed it now.

He couldn't bring himself to mess with Yami's professional life anymore.

From now on, it would be strictly personal.

* * *

 **Author's note:**

Yami& kaiba have an explosive fight at the vacation house and they end up leaving separately.

Kaiba gets found out by his secretary, and then realizes there are consequences to stealing Yami's phone.

Yami is still just enterally confused after being yanked around by kaiba's dual personalities.

Edited by setokaibaes/marshmallons

Thanks for always reading!

-Ugli


	15. because every day is becoming the same

Kaiba carefully hooked the facemask over his ears and inspected his reflection in the car visor's mirror one last time before flipping it back up.

The face mask would be a kissing deterrent of sorts. The objective of this outing was to return Yami's phone while dressed as Kumi and to never see him again, so tonight was his last night.

But Kaiba didn't know if Yami was going to be at the park tonight, so he had gone for a minimal effort look, opting to only focus on the makeup around his eyes.  
The rest of his face wasn't done up all the way.

Kaiba clenched his fist tightly and pushed the car door open to climb out slowly.

He made sure to grab his purse before slamming the door shut with an echoing bang, and he tossed his hair over his shoulder, setting off down the street.

Tonight was the last night ever.  
Tonight was his last night wearing these clothes, wearing this makeup.  
No amount of begging or pouting from Yami would make him reconsider this decision.  
His feet took him down a familiar sidewalk and he kept his head down, staring at the tips of his shoes. They were comfortable, and they made him feel relatively normal.

Crossing the street quickly, his heart skipped a beat when he saw a spiky-haired figure sitting on a bench in the distance.  
Yami was here!  
Trying not to feel excited, Kaiba hastened his pace and walked through the park gates.

Yami heard quick footsteps in the distance and kept his eyes shut, wondering if he ought to head home now. It was getting late, and this was probably going to be the last stranger to pass through the park until morning.  
He had been here enough nights to know the general feel for the crowd after midnight.  
Also, as the footsteps got closer, they sounded nothing like high heels, so it definitely wasn't a woman.

As Kaiba got closer, he wondered if Yami was asleep.  
His eyes were closed, his legs were crossed, and his arms were tucked casually behind his head.

Yami did his best not to react when he heard the footsteps stop right beside his bench, and he wondered if he ought to keep pretending to be asleep. If it was a mugger, they might just leave him alone.

Kaiba waited a long moment before he decided to give Yami a hard kick to the shins.

Yami felt a stinging pain reverberate up and down his leg, and he let out a frantic yell, leaping to his feet and taking a terrified step back before facing his attacker.

It was a tall woman wearing a face mask.

…Kumi-san!

"You scared me!" Yami cried, feeling very relieved. He could hear his own voice echoing loudly around them in the empty park, and he reminded himself to speak quieter.

 _Shut up,_ Kaiba growled mentally, reaching into his purse and pulling out Yami's phone. He held it out with both hands and made sure to dip his head down silently.

This gesture was not an apology, but he knew Yami would take it as one.

"Thank you!" Yami smiled warmly and gratefully accepted his phone back. He powered it on quickly and was surprised to see that it had a full battery.

"You charged it for me?" Yami asked curiously, turning the phone over in his hand, inspecting it for damage and finding none. "This is a rather old model. Do you have the charger that fits this phone?"

 _I have every charger on earth ever known to man,_ Kaiba thought sourly, nodding stiffly and turning to leave.

"Wait!" Yami sat down hastily and patted the empty spot beside him. "Please sit a while with me."

 _No,_ Kaiba replied darkly. It was getting quite cold, and he had forgotten a scarf. It was late. He had work tomorrow.  
Also, he was still half-angry about how Yami had left him hanging during their earlier interaction.

"Kumi-san…please?" Yami pleaded hopefully, curling his fingers over his knees and wondering if he ought to chase after her. She was getting farther and farther away.

After a moment, he decided to run after her.

Kaiba heard pattering footsteps rushing up from behind and he smirked as he felt a rush of adrenaline. He had almost forgotten how good it felt to have Yami twisted around his pinky when he was dressed like this.

A warm hand curled around his wrist and held onto him steadily.

"Kumi-san…please," Yami said hoarsely, feeling her tug lightly and resist. "I've been waiting here every day for you!"

 _Yes, creep, I know_ , Kaiba thought gleefully. He stopped in his steps and dug his own phone out of his purse, typing out a quick message before holding the glowing screen up for Yami to see.

 **Goodbye. Never seeing you again! It's been fun!**

Yami stared blankly at the message and blinked, his heart hurting with every rapid beat.  
What?  
Why was she saying this so suddenly?  
Had he done something wrong?!  
Why did it feel like they were going around in circles?  
Was he forever doomed to be stuck in a horrible loop where this beautiful girl was constantly bidding him goodbye as if it was their last day together?

"…I don't understand," Yami whispered, gazing up into her face, half of which was hidden behind the mask. "Whatever it is I did wrong, I apologize for it…all of it!"

Kaiba resisted the urge to roll his eyes and he turned to leave once more, but Yami held onto his arm tighter, sounding desperate. "No! I've had enough of this. Please stay with me a little longer. I'll make it worth your while."

Kaiba felt his eyelid twitch while he debated this in his mind. How would Yami make this worth his while? It would be fun to find out.

 _Fine,_ Kaiba thought mischievously, giving Yami a tight nod and seeing his rival's face light up instantly. This was his last night as Kumi anyway. Yami could try his best, and then feel crushed when he realized he had failed.

Pleased with this thought, Kaiba let Yami lead him through the park by the hand, and questions began to arise when they passed the bench they usually sat on.

Kaiba gave his arm a light shake and pointed at the bench, but was ignored by Yami, who was wearing a determined look on his face.

Yami held tightly onto Kaiba's wrist, his mind humming with mild confusion. Her hand felt very familiar in his somehow, and he couldn't put his finger on it, but no matter.

He had her here now, he was going to make the best of it.

Kaiba opened his mouth to speak but decided it against it when they stopped at a crossing near a dark street. Where the fuck was Yami taking them?

The street was deserted, but they waited for the light to turn green before they began to cross. After a long moment of silence, Yami turned to give Kumi an appraising glance over his shoulder.

"You're right. I know nothing about you, yet I feel like we've known each other for a while."

Kaiba rolled his eyes, cringing internally. Yeah. No shit.

"What's your boyfriend like?" Yami asked, desperate to fill the silence with conversation, and he felt Kumi stop dead in her tracks behind him.

Tugging gently on her hand, Yami gazed up into her face in the semi-darkness, wishing she would remove her facemask because his lips burned for kiss.  
Was it wrong to kiss a girl who already had a boyfriend?  
Or was she lying about the boyfriend?

Kaiba narrowed his eyes, recognizing this tactic instantly. Yami was gazing into his face with a silent longing, his eyes wide at the corners, his lips slightly parted.

 _God damn,_ Kaiba cursed to himself, feeling himself heat up guiltily at the thought of a kiss. He had sworn not to touch Yami, and leave right after returning the phone, but here they were…again, standing alone in the middle of a dark, deserted street, gazing heatedly into each other's eyes.

Hating himself for breaking his own rules, Kaiba lowered his face mask and bent forward to press a swift kiss on Yami's lips.

Surprised, Yami closed his eyes and threw his arms around Kumi's neck, pulling her closer into a deeper kiss, drinking in her wonderful scent of…coffee, and something else that was vaguely familiar.

This was…Kaiba's scent.

Yami was sure of it.

He tingled with a mixture of wonder and excitement at the thought of Kaiba…wearing Kumi's clothes with his long legs, clothed in tight pants and knee-high boots….

Kaiba felt Yami jerk away and take a solid step back, his eyes wide with shock and fear. Oh shit. What? What was that look?

Yami swallowed thinly, his lips throbbing at the sudden loss of contact as he raked his eyes down Kumi's tall form.  
Unmistakable.  
Even under the dim street lamp…this was Kaiba's silhouette.

Kumi looked slender, but at a closer glance, her shoulders were broad and squared. She had flipped the face mask back up over her face, but those eyes…were definitely Kaiba's eyes.

Blinking rapidly, Yami's legs grew weak, and Kaiba frowned nervously, wondering if he had been recognized. Why was Yami gaping at him?

"You kissed me," Yami said quietly, his world swimming in a grey haze around him as he saw her give him a tight nod.

She didn't speak.  
She didn't speak, not because she was mute, but because she had a man's voice!

He had to be sure. He had to drag her into the studio under his bright lights and photograph every inch of her, just to make sure this was Seto Kaiba in a woman's guise.

"You kissed me even though…you have a boyfriend," Yami breathed, seeing Kumi shake her head quickly and begin to walk away.

"Wait! Wait, please…"

Yami lunged forward and grabbed her hand, this time lacing his fingers tightly through hers. He pulled her down the street, ignoring the rapid, excited pounding of his own heart.

Kaiba tried to resist but decided to cooperate after struggling uselessly. Yami was surprisingly strong. They approached a run-down apartment complex, and Kaiba gazed up at it, wrinkling his nose in distaste.

Yami was taking him into this dump?

"I know what you're thinking," Yami said perceptively, giving her hand a tight squeeze. "This dump? Well, this is where I live. Surprised?"

Kaiba opened his mouth, almost about to speak, but he stopped himself last minute. Furious, he dug his phone out of his purse and hastily typed a message.

Yami watched this reaction carefully. She looked shocked, and then…angry?

A glowing phone was shoved in his face, and he read the text.

 _"I thought you lived at the Kame Game Shop with your freak of a twin brother"_

"We're not really…twins," Yami said slowly, his blood beginning to boil at her tone. He was positive now, that she was indeed Kaiba.

 _Answer my damn question!_ Kaiba growled internally.

Yami led him forward into the building in silence, and Kaiba gave Yami's hand several pulsing squeezes. Answer. The. Question.

Yami bit his tongue and led her up the stairwell, choosing to remain silent. His heart was doing somersaults in his chest as he began to slowly piece together her "strange" behavior.

It wasn't strange at all. This was Kaiba. Kaiba was squeezing his hand in Morse code, telling him to answer the damn question.

"Fans kept coming by," Yami said vaguely, daring a glance behind himself and slightly disappointed to see her head lowered so much, her bangs covered her eyes.

 _And so what?_ Kaiba thought spitefully, giving Yami's hand another squeeze as they stopped at a solid green door with a faded number plate.

He watched Yami shoulder the door open and step aside, letting him through first.

Kaiba walked into the dingy apartment, his irritation rising. Everything was dark, and not a single piece of furniture was in sight.  
What was this place?

The lights flickered on above him, and Kaiba glanced up, mildly surprised to see Yami had fitted strips of bright lights, but that made the drab walls look terribly washed-out.

A large, white backdrop hung in the far back, flanked by towering studio lights and several folded-up umbrellas lay horizontal in a neat pile against the wall.

Kaiba understood immediately that Yami had brought him into his "studio."

A small door presumably leading into the bathroom was almost hidden in the far corner of the room. There was an ordinary black couch sitting in front of a small window, and that was it.

Yami kept his eyes nailed on Kumi's expressions, trying to read her mind, trying to predict how Seto Kaiba would react in a situation like this.

There was nothing but silence between them, and it was getting thicker by the second.

Yami moved towards the closet and pulled the stiff wooden doors open, gazing at the new sets of swimwear he had discretely purchased over the past month.

This was the moment he had been waiting for.

Getting to photograph her in a bathing suit had been his ultimate goal, and now that he was so close, something didn't feel quite right.

Kaiba gazed over Yami's shoulder and looked away quickly, his cheeks burning with a mixture of dread and humiliation. Damn…Yami was really intent on seeing this through.

"Please pick anything you like," Yami said cautiously, his heart pounding so loudly in his own chest, he could barely hear himself think.

Kaiba shook his head disdainfully and eyed the door. This was bad. It was time to initiate phase two of his plan: break Yami's heart and shatter his expectations.

"Please?" Yami implored, grabbing a random set off the hanger and pushing her towards the bathroom. "This will be the last time, Kumi-san. You'll never see me again after this."

Kaiba hesitated for a moment before deciding to snatch the clothes out of Yami's hands. He strode into the bathroom and quickly locked himself inside.

Growling to himself, he glanced around, slightly relieved that it was more spacious than he'd assumed. It seemed Yami had converted the kitchen area to be part of the bathroom, because there were still marks on the wall were a stove had originally been.

Glancing down at the hanger, Kaiba wrinkled his nose in disgust.

It was a white t-shirt with a red bikini set.

 _And he says he's not a pervert,_ Kaiba glowered privately to himself, sliding out his phone in a mild panic as he wondered if he should bother concealing his bulge.

Staring intently at his own mask-covered face in the mirror, Kaiba slowly unhooked if off of his ears and set it down by the sink.

No. He would not bother concealing anything.

The person emerging from this bathroom would be Seto Kaiba with long hair, in the red bikini.

Biting his tongue lightly, Kaiba suppressed a laugh as he briefly imagined the shocked look on Yami's face when he would inevitably step out.

Meanwhile, Yami was busying himself with the lights, slowly adjusting the height as he estimated how tall Kaiba…no, Kumi, was.

 _But what if she is Kaiba?_ Yami sat down stiffly and felt his head spin with incredulity.

He gripped the light pole fiercely, recalling Kaiba's snappy requests to "forget about her."

They did look similar! If he simply took away the long hair and lavish makeup, Kumi looked exactly like Seto Kaiba. There was no mistake about it _._

 _She's him!_ Yami thought furiously, his blood boiling with a mixture of rage and excitement. All the jokes she had made about having a penis…weren't jokes at all.

There was a soft rustle coming from behind the bathroom door, and Yami stood slowly, bracing himself mentally. If she did walk out of there with a body of a man, it wouldn't matter.

The pictures would never be published.

Yami let go of the light and dug his phone out to hastily send Boro a text.

 _"Bo, call/email/text the back-up model we have on file to replace Kumi. She will reveal her face as the 'elusive beauty' + have her sign agreement tomrw or tonigt."_

There was more rustling from the bathroom, and the reply from his co-worker was swift and suspicious.

 _"…Did the beauty queen pull a disappearing act on you?"_

 _Yes, and no_ , Yami thought furiously, deciding on the spot to jeopardize his entire career by keeping Kumi away from the spotlight.

He had always trusted his instincts, and now his instincts were telling him something was off about Kumi.

 _"Kumi is no longer a contender,"_ Yami typed, his fingers freezing on the screen as he saw a pale leg emerge from the bathroom, and his heart threatened to explode out of his chest.

He recognized that leg.  
He had seen it up-close and personal, during his stay at Kaiba's vacation home.

He didn't need to see the rest of her body to know that she was Kaiba.

They behaved the same way, and they tasted the same. Kumi was Kaiba, and he needed to somehow un-publish the previous six editions.

Kaiba stood angrily in the doorway of the bathroom, furiously waiting for attention.  
Yami was ignoring him. He was texting someone, and Kaiba buried the twinge of guilt bubbling up his chest.

Maybe his phone-stealing antics really had gotten Yami fired.

 _"No longer a contender!? And you're deciding this now?! She's the perfect one, you said it!"_ Boro's message sounded frantic. _"Are you ok? Drunk? Where r u?!"_

Kaiba rapped his knuckles against the door, and Yami snapped his head up to glance right past his shoulder with an eerily empty expression before nodding formally and pointing at the white backdrop.

"Make yourself comfortable there," Yami said robotically, feeling his phone vibrate in his hands again and he glanced down to write the last text with a sense of resigned finality.

 _"She's a man."_ And he hit send without hesitation.

He had seen Kaiba, briefly in that one quick moment. Without the carefully applied makeup and neatly pressed clothes, all Yami had seen was the muscular body of a man he knew very well, wearing nothing but a white shirt with a red bikini peeking out underneath…and it was erotic as hell.

Swallowing thinly, Yami kept his head lowered and continued to text.

Fuming at the lack of reaction, Kaiba did nothing. He was beginning to grow cold, and he shivered visibly, hating all the mixed signals he was receiving from Yami.

Why did Yami treat him like shit right after treating him like royalty? And he was still texting!

 _"WhAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTttTTtTt?!"_ Boro began spamming messages.

 _"HOW?! DID YOU FIND OUT?!"  
"When?! Today!? A REAL MAN OR A MAN WHO TURNED INTo A WOMAN?"  
"WE CAN STILL FEATURE HER! S/HE'S PRETTER THAN MIYO CHAN"_

Yami muted him quickly, moving to switch on the heat lamp for Kaiba's comfort.

Now that he knew with extreme certainty that Kumi was Kaiba, he could keep up the pretense that everything was fine.

He would behave cordially towards Kumi, so that Kaiba would see that he had kept his word, and their stupid fight would finally end.

Yami dragged the heat lamp to the middle of the room and straightened up tiredly, thinking Kaiba was a true idiot, creating a beautiful girl out of himself, and then subsequently becoming angry and jealous…of himself.

Kaiba folded his arms across his chest and leaned against the bathroom doorframe, feeling the tiny room heat up quickly. He ground his teeth silently, waiting for Yami to freak out, shout, stare, gasp, but all his rival did was continue to diligently adjust the photography lights.

A camera bag had appeared on the floor and several lenses were neatly laid out on a cloth beside it.

"Go ahead, stand there," Yami said quietly, doing his best not to look in Kaiba's direction as he walked back to the closet to grab a blanket. "And this is for you."

Kaiba walked purposefully into the middle of the white backdrop and stood with his feet resolutely planted apart. Was Yami blind? Or was he acting like this on purpose?! There was very clearly…a bulge between his legs, and yet the photoshoot was continuing?

Yami set the blanket down at the edge of the backdrop, keeping his head lowered while he felt a heated rush of arousal. He had a new goal now. It was time to photograph Kaiba in this outfit as much as possible, maybe even convince him to change a few more times.

Breathless with excitement, Yami picked up his camera with unsteady hands and lifted it up to his face. He bent down on one knee and peered through the viewfinder, sweating furiously as he raked his gaze up and down Kaiba's semi-naked body through the tiny window of the camera's lens.

Amazing.  
This was Kaiba…in women's clothes.  
Kaiba…in a red bikini and a see-through white t-shirt.  
It was no wonder why he found Kumi so arousing.  
Kaiba was already fiery enough as a man, but when he changed his clothes…it became new and exhilarating.

Unable to help himself, Yami's index finger trembled slightly before he pressed down and took a snapshot of Kaiba's red-clothed bulge.

The shutter clicked loudly in the tense silence, and Yami exhaled slowly, his finger continuously tapping the button as if it had a mind of his own.

His other hand twisted the lens, and he made sure to get a very clear close-up of the space right between Kaiba's thighs underneath his balls.

He clicked the shutter and took a picture of it.

This was amazing.

He clicked the shutter again, taking the same photo.

He could do this all night.

He clicked the shutter after moving the camera slightly higher, aiming his gaze at the smooth, curved muscles of Kaiba's arms.

What a privilege!

He clicked the shutter and took an extreme close-up of Kaiba's nipple which had perked up underneath the shirt from the cold.

How long did Kaiba want to stand there and let this go on for?  
Seto Kaiba wouldn't pose for TINE* magazine but would willingly do this?!

Kaiba did nothing and frowned at Yami's camera covered face.  
So…business as usual? How _irritating!_  
Yami really was a man married to his work!

"Do something," Yami urged, hearing his own voice shake with anticipation.  
He didn't dare move the camera from his face lest he miss an important shot.  
Right now, every second was more precious than gold.  
Who knew when he would get another chance to see Kaiba like this?

Kaiba grit his teeth and shook his head. Game over. He had lost. Here he was, standing in women's underwear, and still being treated like an inanimate object.  
It was tiresome.

Yami clicked the shutter aimlessly again after focusing on Kaiba's exposed collarbone, wishing he would do something other than stand there.

"Kumi-san, please," Yami bit back a sigh and lowered his camera slightly. His eyes were instantly drawn to Kaiba's slender thighs, and he pressed the camera back to his face, feeling himself sweat. This was going badly.

Deep down, Kaiba was fighting with himself. Part of him wanted to cooperate, while another part of him wanted to march out the door.

Yami lowered his camera fully and gazed intently into Kumi's face for the first time, unable to see anything other than Kaiba's cold, emotionless blue eyes piercing through him.

This was Kaiba for sure. No doubt about it.

"I know what it is," Yami said quietly, looping the camera off his neck and setting down beside him on a lonesome chair. "You're missing makeup."

Kaiba grit his teeth so hard, his vision flashed green.

Yami caught Kaiba's darkening expression, but he paid it no mind. He was consumed with thoughts of applying makeup onto Kaiba's face.

Frozen in place, Kaiba watched Yami disappear into the closet for a brief moment before emerging with a large black box.

His rival dragged the portable table noisily across the floor and thunked the makeup box down on top of it, unclasping the sides to reveal several tiers of neatly organized cosmetics.

 _Pervert_ , Kaiba glowered, his jealousy flaring up once more when he pictured Yami carefully painting on Miyo-chan's eyeshadows.

"Come, sit!" Yami said gleefully, pulling the chair closer and quickly clearing his camera off the seat. "I hope I have enough for you here. Let's try to go for a lighter look today."

 _No_ , Kaiba growled internally, curling his fists at his sides, but he was unable to refuse because Yami had already grabbed his arm and wrestled him into the chair with surprising force.

His barely-covered ass hit the cold plastic, and he suppressed a shiver, glaring up at Yami with all his might, wondering if Yami had gone slightly insane. He was bent over the makeup box with a bright expression, his index finger trailing over the bottles and colorful pencils, looking…way too excited.

Yami picked up a brush and a small compact of blush, holding it up happily and flipping the case open with a click.

"Let's add color. You're quite pale," he declared, and Kaiba felt himself flush in anger.

He remained very still, letting Yami brush the color over his cheeks and gaze deeply into his eyes.

Kaiba held Yami's gaze steadily, listening to the steady thrum of his own heart, his mind racing with a million questions in the growing silence.  
Yami wasn't an idiot, right?  
He could clearly see that there was a visible bulge between his legs?  
And yet he was still carrying on as normal.  
Was this more of his "gentlemanly" behavior?

Yami ignored his leaping heart and reached for a tube of lipstick, shaking slightly as he uncapped it. A pale hand reached out to grab him by the wrist, and Yami froze, his stomach sinking with disappointment as he wondered if Kaiba was done cooperating.

To his rising amazement, his arm was pulled forcefully forward, and the edge of the lipstick gently landed on Kaiba's bottom lip.

Holding his breath, Yami watched as the tip of the lipstick slowly slid over Kaiba's lips, slowly coating it thickly with color.

His stomach twisted violently with arousal when he saw Kaiba smirk, and the lipstick slipped downwards the second Kaiba let go of his hand, leaving a dark red smear trailing down the corner of his mouth.

Kaiba held his ground and kept the cold smirk on his face, deciding to test Yami's willpower. Would his rival behave the same way as he had done before with wide, expectant eyes and lewd side-glances?

Terrified, Yami tried to jerk his hand back, but Kaiba's grip tightened around his wrist, keeping him firmly in place.

Yami panicked and tried to withdraw once more, but it Kaiba showed no signs of anger. Instead, the same condescending smirk sat firmly on his lips as they continued to gaze fiercely into each other's eyes.

"I'm sor—" Yami began but was cut off unexpectedly when Kaiba suddenly rose to his feet, towering over him with a familiar glare, the hostility offset by the messy smear of lipstick down the side of his lip.

Before he could compose himself, Kaiba grabbed him by the shoulders and spun him around, pushing him into the chair and standing before him with a wicked sneer.

Frozen in shock, Yami did nothing but gape. He wasn't sure where to look first. The sexy red strap slipping down Kaiba's arm that was clearly see-through the white t-shirt? Or the suggestive bulge threatening to spill out from the tiny bikini bottom he was wearing?

Kaiba quickly pinned Yami down into the chair by quickly straddling him in one swift motion, his skin burning with a strange triumph as he watched his rival's angular violet eyes grow wider and wider with each passing second.

Was this preferable now? He wasn't fighting back.  
Yami's masculinity was being challenged and he seemed eerily fine with it.

"Makeup wipe is in the bottom drawer," Yami said bravely, finally managing to speak after finding his voice. "Take one—" And he was cut off again when Kaiba dove down to capture his lips in a solid kiss.

Blinking wildly, Yami's breath caught painfully in his chest the moment a silky tongue grazed his upper teeth and the dull taste of lipstick flooded his senses.

Unable to think clearly, Yami parted his lips tentatively, enjoying the uncharacteristically soft and tender kiss. Cold hands slid up his arms and cupped his face, pulling him in closer, and Yami floundered, trying to pry his eyelids open but they stubbornly fluttered shut every time Kaiba pulled away and came back harder with passionate force, sometimes with the tip of his tongue flicking in to touch his, other times, his lips hovering tantalizingly before him, clearly enjoying a good tease.

Kaiba's lips remained centimeters from his as they both drew in unsteady breaths.

Yami risked a glance down and was unable to tear his eyes away from the stiff boner poking upwards visibly through the thin fabric of the red bikini, and his heart skipped several beats. H-Holy shit. That was an arousing sight.

Kaiba followed Yami's gaze downwards and suppressed a laugh. The tight fabric made his bulge look even bigger than usual.

Yami instinctively reached out to touch, but to his supreme annoyance, Kaiba pushed his hand away.

"What's gotten into you?" Yami asked impatiently, feeling his own boner itch with neglect inside his own pants, and he decided to be extremely bold with his words. "I like you. Do you like me?"

 _You don't like me!_ Kaiba fumed, grabbing Yami by the shoulders and giving him a firm squeeze before getting up off his lap and walking across the room to slip his phone out of his purse.

His chest twisted strangely at the thought of what he was about to do next.

This was the perfect time to break Yami's hopes regarding Kumi.

Frustrated, Yami jumped to his feet and curled his fists at his side.

"Speak! I know you can speak."

 _You don't deserve to hear my voice,_ Kaiba thought spitefully, approaching Yami with the glowing phone screen before rushing to pick his clothes up from the floor and throwing them on hastily.

Yami accepted the phone from Kaiba wearily, reading the message written in bold text:

 **I DON'T like you. I have a boyfriend, and he's better than you, period.  
Leave me alone. Goodbye forever, you loser.**

Frowning, Yami tried his best not to read it in Kaiba's voice, but somehow, it didn't work. He read the message again and again, hoping the tone would sound different, but all he could hear was Kaiba's voice saying this to him.

His world crumbled while his mind spun with a thousand unanswered questions.  
Why? Was it somehow different for Kaiba when he was dressed like this?  
If anything, this seemed like it would've turned into a perfect opportunity for sex! But he had been staunchly refused.  
Why?

Meanwhile, Kaiba was already fully dressed. He had thrown his regular clothes over the swimsuit, deciding to take everything off later in the privacy of his own bathroom.

"I thought…we liked each other," Yami said weakly, gripping the phone tightly and watched Kaiba carefully hook the facemask back over his ears. "Wait! You've done so much for me! I've done so much…for you!"

 _Yeah, you've run me around in circles,_ Kaiba snarled silently in his mind, marching to the door without a backwards glance, not bothering retrieve his phone from Yami.  
Yami could keep it.  
This Kumi adventure was officially over.  
Kumi needed to disappear, in order to make room for Seto Kaiba.

"Wait…please!" Yami hissed, racing after Kaiba's tall form and almost tripping on the door's bevel on his way out. "What did I do? Did you want me to do something differently? Please…come back."

Pathetic, whiny Yami was showing his face again.

Yami stood helplessly at the top of the stairs, watching Kaiba's long brown hair disappear in the distance beneath him, his heart sinking violently to his feet.

What had just happened? And it had all happened so fast! One moment, Kaiba was sitting lewdly in his lap, giving him the hardest boner he'd ever experienced in his life, and suddenly in the next moment, he was gone.

Sliding down into a sitting position on the top step, Yami hung his head, hating the hot tears building behind his eyes. Was this Kaiba's idea of a joke? Or perhaps it was a test of sorts? Or maybe Kaiba plainly enjoyed crossdressing and wanted to be treated…. like a lady?

Thoroughly confused, Yami continued to sit there silently with his eyes closed, carefully planning his next moves.

There were many ways to approach this, but his ultimate goal was to win Kaiba over. Kaiba in a woman's guise was such an arousing concept! It had been an exceptional treat to have been able to spend time with the CEO while he was willfully mute.

Kumi was by far the most exciting and arousing aspect of Kaiba's personality, and Yami vowed to himself that he would go to any lengths to get Kumi to re-appear.

Out on the sidewalk, Kaiba leaned against the wall of a nearby building in dimly lit alleyway and breathed a tight sigh of relief, hating how the swimsuit strings were rubbing painfully into his neck.

Mission complete. He had made it extremely clear to Yami that Kumi was no longer interested.

Straightening up with renewed motivation, Kaiba adjusted the purse strap on his shoulder and set off down the dark road.

This Kumi character he had made was by far the most idiotic thing he had done in a long while, and Kaiba vowed to himself that he would go to any lengths to keep Yami's interest purely in himself, as Seto Kaiba.

Kumi was history, and so was anything Kumi ever had with Yami.

The pairing is Seto Kaiba x Yami. Not Kumi x Yami.

* * *

 **Author's note:**

Tone change, attitude shift. This chapter was scrapped many times before it became what you see here. I silently struggled. (or not-so-silently)

If this chapter sounded weird in any way, it was intentional.

Original 3 drafts of this chapter had a sex scene where Kaiba pins Yami down in the chair and they go at it that way, but I thought it would be too disconnected and too one-sided, for BOTH of them.  
Yami would be thinking, "omg this is hawt kai is so hot like this"  
and Kaiba would be like, "omg this fucker better be enjoying this, also, I win because we r finally having sex, mwhahayahaha"  
but on the surface, its like….awkward…sex, but they both enjoy it? euhgnkahsb

Every time I came back to revise it, something didn't feel right. So I X'ed it out. (Maybe I'll include it next time in a bonus scene after everything has been resolved?)

This story has been a challenge for me, because there have been soo0o0o many times where I have been tempted to shove a sex scene in there, but then realized there wasn't enough development to back it up….but…I wanted a sex scene!  
But there wasn't enough plot to justify it?  
Butttttt I wanted a FULL sex scene?! (like with penetrationnn)  
But it would've been so random?  
But a sex scene tho….!

(ok so NOW do you see how easy it is for me to go crazy?)

Anyway, thank you so much for reading this far. This whole story has been more of a slow burn than some of my other (more action-packed, sex-packed) stories, and I am AWARE of this, but the topic of crossdressing is something I want to do well. I want the representation to be at least somewhat correct. (like 60-80%? Is tht too much?)

hopefully you think im doing well so far. (smol cry) deep down im actually just a huge mess of insecurities and every time you leave a comment after each chapter, you put me back together just a little bit (hearts)

Big hugs,  
Ugli

this chapter was edited by setokaibaes


	16. every day is bland

Yami sat at the meeting table, tightly gripping Kumi's silent phone in his hand while half-listening to his co-workers sitting across from him.

His palm burned from the coldness of the metal.  
Kumi used a prototype KC phone case. It had never been released to the general public.  
How on earth would she have gotten ahold of that?  
She had to have gotten it from Kaiba, or she _was_ Kaiba.

People were talking, but he wasn't listening.  
It had taken all of his willpower to make it into work on time not having gotten any sleep the night before.

He was consumed with thoughts of Kaiba, Kumi, Kaiba, Kumi, Kaiba wearing women's clothes, Kumi, wearing her skin-tight leggings and sexy collared tops, and then it was back to Kaiba, wearing his stark white suit with the striking blue tie, before his hair magically extended around his face to form beautiful, brown, flowing locks.

"Atem?"

A female co-worker frowned worriedly at him and tapped her pen on her tablet. "We're going forward on this month's spread without your original model, Kumi. If you could sign off on that before you leave, we're all done here."

Yami nodded silently and was handed the electronic pad. He gazed down at the solid paragraphs of words while everything blurred together terribly in his vision.

It was a release form and a nondisclosure agreement.

He was signing away the rights to the photos of Kumi he had taken last month.

It was also an agreement to stay silent about who they had originally decided to feature as the Mystery Beauty.

Picking up the pen, Yami hurriedly skimmed through the document and signed it without another glance before pushing the tablet back across the table.

"Thank you," she said keenly, picking up the tablet with a grim smile before rising to her feet and bowing stiffly.

Everyone around the table rose to their feet and bowed robotically in response, and Yami could feel his other co-worker, Boro, vibrating with anger beside him.

The meeting room slowly cleared. Yami found himself dragged out roughly by the arm and cornered in a deserted hallway by Boro, who was red in the face, fuming with discontent.

"You just signed away our bonus," Boro growled, beginning to sweat slightly. "Some of us need to eat, you know? Not all of us have a rich boyfriend we can live off of."

"I'm sorry," Yami said emptily, his heart sinking lower and lower into his stomach the longer he stood there. "I'll make it up to you."

"Yeah? How?" His co-worker challenged, folding his arms and beginning to look desperate. "You'll get your boyfriend to pay half my rent?"

"My boyfriend?" Yami asked warily, wondering if Boro meant…Seto Kaiba.

"Why are you playing dumb right now?" Boro glared, giving Yami a playful shove, forcing him to take a nervous step back into the wall behind him.

"I don't know what you mean by that," Yami said evenly, his heart pounding frantically in his chest when Boro dug his phone out of his pocket and showed him a saved post on his twitter feed.

"Look. You and Mr. CEO, kissing in the middle of the street at night."

Yami held his breath and stared at the image. It was a photo of the back of Kaiba's head, but he was bent forward, and Yami could see his own feet standing on tiptoes, clearly rising to meet Kaiba's lips.

"That doesn't prove anything," Yami protested heatedly, and his co-worker shook his head in exasperation.

"You know what, Atem? I'm insulted," Boro declared. "I've seen many photos and have even taken some paparazzi-level ones myself. You're kissing him. There's no other pose—"

"Yeah, alright," Yami interrupted, his cheeks burning with mild embarrassment. "Is it all over the news now?"

"No, strangely enough, that's old news," Boro scoffed, wondering how Yami managed to remain detached from the media when he practically worked in a media-related office.

Yami folded his arms across his chest haughtily, feeling as if something was off.

"What is it? Tell me."

"Well…I thought you already knew," Boro said nervously, tapping on his screen again, and another image appeared. "Your princess is shown going into another castle."

Yami blinked rapidly, finding himself looking at an image of Kumi wearing the outfit from last night, moving so quickly through the Kaiba mansion gates, her form was a blur, but the white shirt, designer handbag, and pale legs were unmistakable.

"What is this?" Yami breathed, unable to hear his own thoughts through the blood rushing loudly through his ears.

"And there's an enhanced shot of this mystery woman entering through Kaiba's front door, greeted by the butler," Boro continued monotonously, swiping slowly through a series of photos.

The second image was Kumi, still a blur, marching past the blue fountain.  
In the third image, Kumi was clearer now, standing on the marble steps of Kaiba's mansion with her hand on the door knob.  
The fourth image showed her being welcomed into the warm glow of the house, and a shadowy figure of Isono could be seen standing in the crack of the doorway.

"Next picture," Yami hissed, tapping the phone screen aggressively, and nothing happened. Those were all the photos available.

"I assume…she's not really a man, and she just told you that because she wanted to quit," Boro said knowingly, tucking the phone safely back into his pocket. "Are you dating Seto Kaiba? Or is she? You know what? I don't care. Get your shit together, Atem. This whole triangle affair is going to become public and quite troublesome."

"My shit _is_ together," Yami fumed, now angry that he was being judged by his co-worker. "She's—"

"Atem! Boro!"

The two men paused to gaze at the editor-in-chief, standing by the front of the hallway with her arms folded sternly across her chest.

"I need to speak with you," she said anxiously, pointing at Yami and patting a yellow folder she had tucked under her arm. "Meeting room three is open. Come now."

Yami stood solidly frozen, rooted to the spot with horror the moment he saw the yellow folder in her hand, and his co-worker seemed to share the same sentiment.

"Oh shit," Boro whispered, and Yami swayed slightly on the spot, his ears ringing.

The yellow folder of death. He was about to be let go. Fired.

"Shit man…I'm sorry," Boro bowed his head moodily, keeping his voice low. "Did you get the mail I sent you? It was regarding this."

"I didn't…see it. She must have…checked it on the other end," Yami said numbly, feeling a massive headache beginning to build in the back of his head and wrap painfully around his temples.

This wouldn't have come out of nowhere if he had gotten his phone back earlier! But Kumi…no, Kaiba, was intent on playing games! And it had cost him his entire job as a result!

"Are you going to be okay?" Boro asked worriedly.

Yami shook his head tightly and didn't answer.

He marched down the hallway and turned the corner, instantly feeling a cold hush blanket the office as he passed. Leaning the glass door of the meeting room open, Yami noticed all the blinds were drawn around them, and the chief was looking very grim.

She wasn't sitting at the head of the table, but at the seat closest to the door, and she rose to meet him with a deep, apologetic bow.

"I'm sorry to disturb you in the middle of that conversation," she said, straightening up and looking genuinely remorseful. "Let's sit."

"I agree to all the terms," Yami said instantly, his blood boiling at the thought of marching into Kaiba's office and strangling the CEO at his desk.

"But we haven't discussed them yet," she said quietly, sitting down quickly and opening the folder. "We really enjoyed having you here, but in light of recent news, the board thought it would be safer if you took a semi-permanent leave."

"I understand," Yami said robotically, choosing not to sit down. His back was burning with the hundreds of stares from his co-workers, undoubtedly watching this spectacle through uncovered the glass door.

Semi-permanent leave, meaning, permanent leave.  
He could try to re-apply, at the cost of his own dignity, and be turned away as a "problematic employee".

"Your severance pay will be—"

"I'll take it," Yami interrupted angrily, moving to lift the folder out of her hands and hoping to spare her some grief. "Thank you for having me. I'll clean out my desk by the end of this week."

She gazed at him unblinkingly with soft pity in her eyes. "Yes. Thank you."

Yami turned his heel and exited the room without another word, almost tripping over Boro's foot as he went, and his co-worker stuck tightly by his side, whispering frantically, "What happened? Did she—I mean, was it…? Did you get fired?"

"Yes, yes I did," Yami replied coldly, but he wasn't angry about being let go.

He was filled with murderous intent towards Kaiba and Kumi.

After arriving at his desk, Yami grabbed the spare camera in the drawer and swung it onto his shoulder, still fuming.

"Keep in touch, okay?" Boro said weakly, eyeing the ominous yellow folder Yami had casually thrown onto the desk. "How long do you have?"

"Until the end of this week," Yami said loudly, no longer caring who heard him. "But I won't be coming in until then, so don't expect to see me."

Boro nodded solemnly and let Yami brush past him with a dark look on his face and disappear down the hallway towards the elevators.

Sighing, he walked slowly back to his desk, feeling extremely sorry for his spiky-haired co-worker.

* * *

Kaiba heard a knock at his door and he buried himself deeper under the covers.

A searing pain would pulse through the front of his head every time he tried to move, and he cursed the last three glasses of whiskey he had drank last night.

He knew he should've been keeping track, but was too frustrated to care, and before he could stop himself, he realized he had downed half the bottle in less than an hour.

"Master Kaiba?" Isono's soft voice floated through the door, and Kaiba kept his eyes tightly shut.

"Go…away," Kaiba mumbled, hearing his own heartbeat pound in his ears, and he thunked his head back onto his pillow after trying to sit up.

"Mr. Mutou is at the door, looking very angry and requesting you see him immediately."

 _Shit_ , Kaiba groaned tiredly to himself, wondering what the hell Yami wanted. He already had Kumi's phone. There was nothing else he could want…unless it was to argue and fight some more about how Kumi was his first choice.

"Shall I let him up? Are you decent?" Isono asked, raising his voice and feeling himself sweat when he heard Mokuba open the front door curiously, and Yami's deep voice echoed through the first floor.

"Hello Mokuba. I need to speak with your brother. Where is he?"

"Dunno. At work probably. Why?"

"Have you seen a girl here?"

"That… _again?_ "

"I'll head back down," Isono mumbled, shutting the door tightly with a heavy click.

Kaiba slowly wrenched himself up into a sitting position, gripping his head in pain.

Fuck everything.  
Yami was here to pick a fight.  
Why was he angry?  
There was nothing to be angry about.

Kaiba barely managed to get one leg out of the bed before his door was shoved open forcefully with a bang, and the former pharaoh stormed into his room without invitation, pacing in a solid circle, his angular violet eyes darting around sharply.

"Where is she?" Yami demanded, his heart leaping nervously in his chest as stared at a disheveled Seto Kaiba half-naked in the bed. If Kaiba told him the truth about Kumi…maybe, just maybe, they could have some amazing make-up sex.

Maybe he could convince Kaiba to wear the red string bikini…which was peeking out from a shiny black drawer in the closet.

"Give it up Pharaoh, she's not here," Kaiba growled angrily, his ears pounding loudly with a furious rush of blood. "Get the fuck out—"

"What is this?!" Yami asked coldly, striding towards the closet and yanking out the red bikini, holding it up for inspection before turning it over in his hands, making sure the tag matched the brand he had remembered purchasing.

It was definitely one he had bought.

Kumi was Kaiba, and this was proof.

Kaiba froze, seeing Yami pick up the bikini, stare it for a moment, check the tag, and then press the pad of it to his nose, inhaling deeply.

Shocked the core, Kaiba gripped the sheets tightly, his blood boiling with a mixture of vicious satisfaction and mild disgust.

"Pervert," Kaiba hissed, somehow unable to move from his awkward position on the bed. His arms and legs had grown impossibly heavy and his hangover-headache was causing him to see white spots of light in the corners of his vision.

"This is hers," Yami declared, gripping it tightly and circling the room again like a hawk. "Did she sleep here?"

The bikini had Kaiba's scent! Kaiba had carelessly walked through his own front gates and gotten caught on paparazzi cameras.

"No, you fucking idiot," Kaiba replied coldly, growing steadily angrier by the second. "Get…out. She's not here."

Yami wasn't listening, and Kaiba watched with rising horror as Yami dove into his closet and began rummaging through all his clothes and shoes, managing to find the handbags, panties, bra, and wefts of hair he had kept hidden in the back.

The accessories were thrown haphazardly into a pile on the floor, and Kaiba swallowed thinly, seeing the pile grow larger and more intimidating.

Damn, he hadn't realized he had bought that much shit. He had always shoved it into the back after he'd been done, and seeing it now, all out on the floor in the open, was terrifying.

"She lives here!" Yami cried, sounding almost hysterical, and the bedroom door slowly clicked shut as Isono turned the lock, making sure to keep an eavesdropping Mokuba away from the door at an arm's length.

"You're delusional," Kaiba replied monotonously, growing cold all over when Yami stepped over the enormous pile of clothes and handbags to make his way into the bathroom.

"Does she keep her toothbrush here?" Yami pressed, knowing the answer was a solid 'no'.

All of this was further proof that Kumi didn't exist! Why was Kaiba still blatantly denying it to his face? Did he enjoy lying that much?!

"Don't go in there! I'm fucking serious! …Atem!" Kaiba raised his voice, beginning to panic, but it was too late.

Yami barged into the spacious bathroom and swept his gaze over the marble countertop, taking in the neat rows of cosmetics and packs of makeup wipes. He stamped on the trash can's pedal and peered down into it, seeing several used wipes, still damp from last night.

There was no other toothbrush, and there were more women's products here than in his own stash!

The rich sure lived well! Now, if only Kaiba would admit it, then perhaps they could share…!

Kaiba appeared in the doorway, staggering weakly as he leaned against the doorframe. "What the fuck…stop invading my privacy."

Yami stood very still, letting the trash can lid ease itself shut before he stepped back and surveyed the make-up laden counter again with a nervous glance.  
He would make Kaiba admit it.  
He needed to hear Kaiba say the words, "I am Kumi."  
Then it would be real.  
And it would be amazing.  
But to do that…this situation would require some finessing.

"Stop stealing my girlfriends," Yami challenged, folding his arms across his chest and planting his feet resolutely apart, hating how his voice echoed in the large bathroom.

"Your…girlfriends?!" Kaiba repeated incredulously, feeling a delirious laugh clawing its way up his chest. "Since when was she your girlfriend?"

"She was _going to be_ my girlfriend!" Yami glowered, "Until you came along and stole her from me!"

Kaiba pressed a hand to his face and his shoulders shook with suppressed laughter. Yep. Yes. That…was exactly what he did. Absolutely fucking ridiculous.

"Stop laughing. This isn't funny," Yami said coolly, unfolding his hands briefly to inch his palm across the counter. He eyed a golden bottle of mist moisturizer, his fingertips itching to steal it.

That bottle alone was almost 20,000 yen. And here, Kaiba had two, one of which was still sealed.

"What the hell are you doing?" Kaiba demanded, eyed Yami's hand inching towards the bottle. It was getting harder to stand, harder to talk. Everything was hard when the alcohol hadn't fully left his system yet.

"Stealing," Yami said adamantly, grabbing the expensive bottle and tucking it under his arm. "Tell me, where is she? Where are you hiding her? The house? A guest room?"

Kaiba blinked slowly, Yami's words echoing terribly around in his mind as his rival brushed past him to duck his head under the bed and begin patting the sheets with an eerie calm.

"Did she sleep here?" Yami asked again, sounding cold and robotic. "You can't hide her forever."

Kaiba turned around just in time to see Yami bend down to press his face into his pillow and clearly trying to…sniff her out.

"She doesn't wear perfume," Kaiba said stiffly, wondering why he was digging himself into a deeper hole by disclosing this information, and as expected, Yami latched onto this and shot back venomously, "Yes, you would know, wouldn't you?"

"Yes!" Kaiba replied, desperate for some peace and quiet as his head throbbed painfully. "Now, please—"

"That's also why she has one of your unreleased phone cases," Yami continued nastily. "And she was also photographed coming in here just last night! I know she hasn't left yet."

Kaiba froze and his world crumbled slowly around him. What?

Yami nodded stiffly, taking in Kaiba's pallid expression and his lifeless reaction. This was…shock, wasn't it?

"So I was right," Yami sniffed arrogantly, walking half-heartedly to the door, acting as if he was about to leave. "She _is_ here, and I will find her."

Kaiba raised his head frantically, seeing Yami almost at the door, and he called out in a panic, "Don't…!"

Yami paused with his hand hovering threateningly over the golden door handle, thrumming with excitement at the fear in Kaiba's voice.

"You're right, she's here," Kaiba said evenly, feeling himself shake terribly as he tried to keep upright on his weak knees. "We…drank together last night, and she's… _extremely_ hungover."

"You mean _you_ are extremely hungover," Yami corrected coldly, unable to keep the smile off his face. "I want to see her."

"You will…" Kaiba snarled, finally regaining his composure and looking Yami right in the eye. "After I take a shower and eat something without throwing it up."

"Then I'll get my camera!" Yami grinned, his eyes wide with glee, and before Kaiba could react, the pharaoh dashed out of his room, leaving the door swinging behind him.

Rooted to the spot again with shock, Kaiba stared at the empty space in the doorway until his vision turned green.

Isono's thin frame appeared and the old man bowed nervously. "B-Breakfast, Master Kaiba?"

Kaiba pressed a hand to his forehead and suppressed a tired groan. "No. Just get me some water and…take Mokuba outside. Have him bring his textbooks. I'll meet you both out there after dealing with… _him_."

The manservant bowed and hastily closed the door behind himself.

Breathing deeply, Kaiba sat gingerly on the edge of his bed, trying to keep calm. There was a slow bubble of panic rising in his chest and it was making the room spin terribly.

Kaiba moved slowly towards the bathroom, contemplating his next actions carefully.

A hot shower would help. He was too hungover to deal with any of this.

Mokuba poked his head out of his room after thinking he'd heard his name echo down the hallway, and he saw Isono walking towards him with a stern look on his face.

"Young Master, come. Get your things. We're sitting outside today while you study."

"I don't wanna sit outside," Mokuba replied slowly, wondering if this had anything to do with Yami's sudden visit. "Yami get to be inside—"

Mokuba found himself being forcefully dragged out of his room before he could finish his sentence, and Isono's hand over his was cold against his skin.

He was marched out the front door and into the bright afternoon sun which almost blinded him as it reflected off a pair of familiar car headlights.

Seto's SUV was parked in front of the sparkling fountain, but Yami's legs were sticking out of the driver's side.

"Yami?!" Mokuba called out to him as Isono kept pulling him towards the back of the house.

Yami leaned out of the car with his camera slung over his shoulder and gave the younger Kaiba a casual wave, watching the greying manservant drag the child around the pebbled garden path and disappear behind a frosted pane of glass.

Tilting his head curiously to the side, Yami shrugged and slammed the car door shut, his heart leaping with excitement at the thought of having Kaiba alone in the house.

He raced up the marble steps of the front entrance and kicked his shoes off on the foyer carpet, looking up when he heard a noise.

Kaiba was making his way down the grand staircase, looking tired and harassed. Dark circles were visible under his eyes and grey shadows clung to his hollow cheekbones.

Attempting to stifle a smile, Yami raised the camera to his face and quickly took a photo.

Kaiba almost slipped and lost his footing mid-step when he heard a shutter click, and he glared at the spiky-haired figure standing in the hallway beneath him.

"Delete that." He said automatically, and he received a playful grin in response.

Kaiba was now fully regretting ever having let Yami set foot into his home, untethered…with a camera.

"I will delete it," Yami said carefully, pulling the camera away from his face to inspect his own handiwork on the tiny screen. "…If I manage to take better ones."

Rolling his eyes, Kaiba walked into the kitchen, fully aware of Yami following closely behind…too close.

He edged away quickly and made a beeline for the coffee pot that looked like it had gone cold.

Yami made himself comfortable on the marble counter and drummed his fingertips amicably. "So, Kaiba. I'm out of work and it's your fault."

Kaiba's knuckles whitened over the coffee pot's handle and a trickle of cold sweat ran down his back.

"You're what?" Kaiba asked gruffly, pouring himself a generous cup of coffee and downing it in one gulp. Yep, it was cold.

"And if you're so hungover, drink water." Yami said, beginning to nag. "Stop drinking alcohol. It's bad for your skin."

Kaiba set his coffee cup down with a heavy clink and turned to give Yami a glare. "If that's how you ask for a job, it's no wonder you're out of work."

Yami looked taken aback, and he leaned forward over the counter, his eyes wide with mischief. "I'm not asking you for a job. I said, it's your fault I lost it."

Kaiba blinked rapidly and folded his arms firmly across his chest, doing his best to keep his expression neutral. "Explain."

Yami raised a pointer finger upwards and swirled it in a playful circle in the air with a smirk sitting on his handsome face. "The tall angel…who is somewhere in your house. She was the main focus of my monthly spreads, and you saw that, and you stole her—"

"The _angel_ you're looking for, is me," Kaiba fumed, his face flushing with a mixture of rage and embarrassment at his own blatant confession. There was a brief awkward silence before he decided to add, "You're welcome."

Yami stared intently into Kaiba's unwavering blue gaze, his stomach swooping wonderfully at Kaiba's words, and he reminded himself to keep up the act.

"Hilarious!" Yami declared coolly, spinning around in his seat to mockingly gaze around the large sitting room behind them. "Is she listening to this right now?"

Kaiba narrowed his eyes suspiciously.  
What was this reaction? What was happening?  
This behavior was too familiar.  
Yami would sound like this whenever he was egging him on in a duel.  
It was the same tone, the same expression, and every time he did attack, there was a hidden ace up the pharaoh's sleeve.

What was his ace this time?

"What's the hell is wrong with you?" Kaiba demanded, hearing his own voice shake slightly with anxiety. "I just told you, she's—"

"I don't want to threaten you, Kaiba," Yami interrupted coldly, sounding very hostile. "But if you could tell her to get dressed so we can finish our last spread, I would appreciate it."

Kaiba took a step forward and leaned over the marble counter, wondering if he was hallucinating this Yami in front of him. "Did you hear what I said earlier?"

"Did you hear _me_?" Yami challenged, resting a hand calmly over his long camera lens. "I said… _tell her to get dressed_."

Uncertainty clawed its way up Kaiba's chest, slowly causing his throat to close, almost choking the air out of him. They were stuck like this forever. He was always going to be telling Yami that he was Kumi, and Yami was always going to be insisting that Kumi show herself.

"She's hungover," Kaiba said finally, breaking the stiff silence between them, and unsurprisingly, Yami was quick to retaliate.

"She currently looks fine."

"She always 'looks fine' to you," Kaiba growled through gritted teeth, beginning to lose his patience. "You can check the entire house. You won't find her."

Yami narrowed his eyes at Kaiba, wondering why his rival was being unusually dense.

He had just made it incredibly obvious that he knew! How long were they going to keep up this stupid act? Or was Kaiba planning on…surprising him? Was it a game now? He was being asked to search the house, and by the time he doubled back to the master bedroom, would Kaiba be waiting for him there? Fully dressed and made-up in women's clothes?

"Right…I will do that. I will check the entire house," Yami said slowly, hopping off the tall stool and tucking his camera safely underneath his arm. "And I _will_ find her."

"No, you fucking won't." Kaiba pressed his hands to his eyes, suppressing a tired groan. "Have fun. My property is about 13,000 square feet. I'll be upstairs, knowing you'll fail."

"Yes…go upstairs," Yami encouraged, nodding happily and watching Kaiba brush past him wearily. "You'll get dressed, won't you?"

He had to make sure Kaiba was on the same page as he was, because something seemed off.

Did Kaiba really believe him to be that stupid?

To his dismay, he was ignored by the CEO and he received nothing but silence as a response.

Disgruntled, Yami decided to exit the house through the glass door leading to the garden in the back. He stepped out onto the soft grass surrounding the property and out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Isono standing at attention on a paved patio underneath an awning. Mokuba was sitting at the table with his head ducked down over his text book.

Looking away quickly, Yami took up a quick stride and circled the property, glancing up and eyeing all the tall windows which had curtains drawn over them.

How much time did Kaiba need to get changed? Was Kaiba even getting changed?

Sighing, Yami turned on his heel and went back the way he came. It had been about...five minutes. Enough time for Kaiba to put on that red bikini….

He raced up the steps and back into the house, fully aware of Mokuba and Isono's eyes on his back as he went.

Spying a pair of scissors on the low coffee table as he passed the entertainment lounge, Yami picked them up absentmindedly. He wasn't going to threaten Kaiba with a pair of scissors. But if he needed to…he had in his hand, a pair of scissors, which he could use to subsequently threaten Kaiba.

Slowly ascending the grand staircase, Yami gripped his camera tightly, feeling extremely uncertain and nervous. Kaiba's reaction had been strangely bland.

Approaching the closed door to the master bedroom, Yami gave it a tentative knock and listened for an answer. After a long pause, Kaiba called out, sounding tired, "Come in."

Deeply excited, Yami leaned the door open and stared, his heart pounding thickly in his chest as he gazed at Kaiba sitting at his desk, still wearing his thin, black, figure-hugging turtleneck.

Yami's heart sank like a rock into the middle of his stomach, and he gripped the golden door handle tightly, trying to stem his frustration. "Kaiba, why are you still wearing that?"

Kaiba glanced over the edge of his laptop screen, registering that Yami looked properly angry. What the fuck? Why?

"I'm wearing…what I usually wear," Kaiba said quietly, aiming his gaze back onto his screen, not really seeing anything. "Get out."

Yami stood very still in the middle of Kaiba's spacious bedroom, feeling his head spin terribly. It seemed Kaiba did not understand after all. He would try…one last time. And if Kaiba really didn't understand…Yami wasn't sure what he was going to do next.  
He hadn't planned for Kaiba to misunderstand.

"Look, I know." Yami said heatedly, stepping over the giant pile of discarded bras, tops and skirts which still lay in the middle of the floor. "I've searched all over your property. She's nowhere to be found, so the last place I haven't looked, is in here. Your room."

Kaiba made a careless gesture, indicating Yami could continue searching the room to his heart's content, and he froze when he spotted the pair of scissors clenched in Yami's fist.

Was his rival…looking to kill him?!

Yami glared at Kaiba and waited for another reaction. The CEO ducked his head back down and resumed typing.

Slightly furious, Yami inched his foot forward and hooked the edge of a bra strap around his ankle and picked it up, holding the open scissor blades threateningly against it.

"She'll be very upset when she finds out that—"

"Destroy whatever you want. She's not here." Kaiba said dully, feeling a delirious laugh bubbling up dangerously in his chest. "You're so obsessed with her, you're acting like a deranged stalker. Leave, before I call security."

"You think _I'm_ a deranged stalker?!" Yami fumed, tightening his grip on the scissors and he moved to gently set his camera down on the edge of the bed.

This was definitely Kaiba's inner-girl talking.

Kaiba bit the inside of his cheek and shut his laptop slowly, wondering how else he could word his confession in a way that Yami would understand.

This was getting supremely annoying and tiresome.

And that bra Yami had threatened to cut was one of the cute, comfortable bras. The fact that Yami was blatantly going around and destroying his things, in a bid to get him to "come out", was infuriating.

" _You_ …should be _flattered_ ," Yami breathed shakily, pointing the scissors directly at Kaiba, and Kaiba eyed the sharp point with apprehension. Was Yami losing it?  
It seemed like his rival was finally losing it. He had finally won.  
And this was getting…slightly unhealthy. How could he calm Yami down?  
The truth didn't seem to be working.

He watched Yami kick the pile of clothes again, clearly searching for something.

The dreaded red bikini appeared in his hands again, and to Kaiba's horror, Yami stabbed the scissors into the fabric and began to cut it.

Stunned speechless, Kaiba swallowed thinly when Yami approached the front of his desk with frightening speed and dropped the ruined bikini bottom on top of his closed laptop with a dark sneer.

"Put it on."

Kaiba blinked once, slowly, his heartbeat slowing down so much, he could feel and hear the blood rushing loudly through his ears while the room swam violently in his vision.

"There, I even had it custom made for you," Yami continued coldly, pushing the red swimsuit bottom closer to Kaiba's motionless arms on the desk. "That hole there should fit your gigantic…clit."

Kaiba reeled and saw flashes of green every time he blinked.

Oh.  
He had been wrong to think he had won.  
 _This_ was Yami's ace.  
This was all an act, and he should've seen it from a mile away.  
Of course, Yami knew.  
The indifference at their photoshoot had been an elaborate act. It _was_ a game! And now, here, he was seriously losing!  
Even downstairs, Yami kept asking if he was going to 'get changed', but he had ignored it viciously, thinking Yami was still searching for Kumi.

"Come on, Kaiba, please." Yami's tone changed drastically, and he dropped the scissors with a pained smile.

He placed his palms down on the desk and leaned forward slowly, wondering how much begging he would have to do.

"You don't even have to wear the hair," Yami pressed, knowing he was being completely shameless. "Or, if you think it's too much of a hassle, you can let me do it for you."

Kaiba slowly ran his tongue along the underside of his teeth and smirked. He leaned back into his chair with his arms folded, feeling powerful and relishing in Yami's desperate tone.

"Kaiba?" Yami frowned, noticing that the CEO was still ignoring him by looking right past his shoulder.

Finally finding his voice, Kaiba managed to ask, "So, what is this for you? A fetish?"

Yami straightened up and clenched his fists at his sides, his ears burning when he realized Kaiba wanted to hold this over his head.

"No," Yami answered defiantly, and after a brief moment of thought, he corrected himself. "I don't know. I just like you…in it. Wear it. Now. Please."

Kaiba slowly raised his gaze to meet Yami's angular eyes, and he managed a small, confident smile, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Well, since you asked _so_ nicely…."

He rose to his feet and snatched the bikini off the desk. Yami blocked his path, his face flushed with excitement as he jutted up on his toes and rocked back and forth on his heels. "Just put it on here. Let me watch."

"Get out of my way, you fucking pervert," Kaiba hissed, elbowing Yami aside. The former pharaoh clung onto his arm with strength, digging his heels into the floor.

"You owe me…you owe me!" Yami insisted, feeling his palms already beginning to sweat and slip on Kaiba's clothed arm. "I was fired this morning...because of you!"

"Let me get this straight. You want a free strip show to celebrate the fact that you lost your job?" Kaiba sneered, towering over Yami with familiar ease, and to his immense pleasure, Yami loosened his grip and nodded stiffly while blushing bright red.

Yami stared at the floor, the tips of his ears burning, and Kaiba stared down at the tips of Yami's spiky hair, slowly digesting the situation.  
His rival was once again unable to make eye contact and was shamelessly begging.

What was happening right now? Was Yami back to acting like a poor, groveling fool because all he wanted was to see the red bikini being worn?

"You're…disgusting," Kaiba ventured, giving Yami's shoulder a tentative nudge.

Yami's head remained bowed, so much that his spiky blond bangs obscured his eyes, and he said nothing. His foot was tapping the shiny floor consistently in an eerie rhythm, and his tanned fists were still clenched at his sides.

"You're going to take whatever I say, aren't you?" Kaiba goaded, draping the red fabric over Yami's shoulder, watching him tense visibly and remain stubbornly quiet. "Say, _"I'm a sore loser and you bested me, Seto Kaiba_.""

"I'm a sore loser and you bested me," Yami said quickly through numb lips, and the corners of his mouth curved upwards into a smile against his will.

Satisfied, Kaiba lifted the red swimsuit off Yami's shoulder and hurriedly bent down to pick up the matching string top.

He strode frantically into the bathroom and locked himself inside it, his heart thundering wildly in his chest with a mixture of triumph and apprehension.  
This was going to be great.  
He was going to put this damn thing on and have the best sex of his life.

Yami whirled around and stared forlornly at the closed bathroom door, his heart thudding painfully in his chest while a boner strained against the zipper of his pants.

Amazing. Wonderful. This was going to be great.  
Kaiba was going to emerge from the bathroom, wearing that red bikini, and the SD card on camera will have never been so full.

* * *

 **Author's note:**

[cue fulfilling sex scene] which I've saved for the next chapter because that way, it can be a whole chapter focused on -just that- (comment below on something you might wanna see and i might include it when writing the scene heuehiehie)

SEE YOU GUYS AT SAKURA CON THIS WEEKEND! I'll be bringing this art print a gift for you if we do bump into each other: -oops this site wont let me link. please check my tumblr (uglifish) or AO3 (prettiugli) to see it!

love ya!  
-Ugli

this chapter was edited by: setokaibaes


	17. until you arrive END

Kaiba took a deep breath, mentally preparing himself.

After giving himself a moment, he yanked the bathroom door open and froze, seeing Yami sitting cross-legged on the edge of his bed with his head dipped down, camera in his hand.

Feeling a rush of annoyance, Kaiba slammed the door behind himself and Yami jerked his head up happily, unable to hide the wide grin on his face.

Yami raked his gaze up and down Kaiba's muscular form, enjoying how pale he was, and how tightly the red swimsuit fabric hugged his chest. He hadn't taken the time to overtly stare the last time Kaiba wore this, and now, he could stare all he wanted, very openly.

But to his dismay, Kaiba had not put his dick through the makeshift slit he had cut in the front, and instead, had somehow managed to tuck his bulge away between his legs.

Kaiba caught a look of surprise and disappointment flitting across Yami's face before he managed to hide it with the most transparent smile. "Sit on the bed."

They stared at each other for an awkward moment before Yami got off the bed and rushed forward to grab Kaiba's hand, pulling him into the room and pushing him towards the bed.

Kaiba eyed the camera heatedly, hating it.  
It was covering Yami's entire face, and the sound of the shutter was annoying as hell. He wasn't doing anything other than standing at the edge of the bed, and Yami was acting like he was doing cartwheels over a lake of lava.

"Put that thing away," Kaiba growled, feeling his face burning with a mixture of rage and embarrassment. "Or I'll change back."

Yami lowered the camera respectfully and nodded sadly. He had a feeling Kaiba was going to ask him to put it away, so he had been trying to milk the first moments for all they were worth.

Kaiba snatched the camera out of Yami's hand, and he cried out in protest, diving after it, but Kaiba's arms were longer. The camera fell out of reach, and Yami watched reproachfully as Kaiba set it down on the nightstand and turned to give him a glare.

"You're the worst," Kaiba said nastily, aiming to hurt with his words, but to his dismay, Yami gazed steadily up at him with wide eyes.

"I am?"

"Yeah, you suck at everything," Kaiba said in a rush, leaning his weight down on top of Yami's body, managing a sneer. "Especially…. at photography."

Yami tensed angrily and shot Kaiba a defiant glare. "I'm good enough," he insisted, raking his gaze shamelessly down the CEO's pale abdomen and suppressing an excited shiver. "Let me photograph you, Kaiba. Let's do it properly."

"Shut up," Kaiba hissed, sliding his hand up Yami's shirt and curling his fingers down across his heated skin, enjoying the desperate looks he was getting.

"Have you always been cross-dressing?" Yami asked boldly, his eyes never leaving Kaiba's hand which had landed suggestively on his first belt buckle. "I wish you could've told me sooner—"

"I said shut up," Kaiba interrupted rudely, his cheeks heating up furiously with a mixture of embarrassment and rage. "You like women. Don't even pretend that's a lie."

"I like men _and_ women," Yami said imploringly, his cheeks flushing a deep pink at this confession. "I was trying to tell you before, but you kicked me out of your office."

Kaiba managed a small smirk before he leaned down to fully press his lips against Yami's half-parted ones, and relishing in the sweetness of his breath, feeling his own heart pounding so thickly in his chest, it began to hurt.

"Wait," Kaiba pulled away breathlessly and narrowed his eyes threateningly at his spiky-haired rival beneath him. "Now, how long have you liked men and women? Or are you just saying that?"

"Since you…!" Yami protested angrily, beginning to lose his patience. He propped himself up on his elbows and stared steadily into Kaiba's clear blue eyes. "Since you opened my eyes, Kaiba."

Kaiba chewed his tongue lightly between his teeth, a rush of conflicting emotions clouding his reasonable thought. The lower half of his body was hot, straining and screaming for a stroking touch while his upper body was cold with anxiety.

"I don't believe you." The words dropped from Kaiba's mouth before he could stop himself, and he regretted it immediately when Yami gave him a hurtful look.

"Then…I don't know what else to say," Yami replied elegantly, turning his head to gaze out the bedroom window with misty eyes. "You will believe what you want to believe, Kaiba. Nothing I say or do will change your mind."

Kaiba held his breath, his heart skipping beats in his chest as he turned Yami's words over in his mind. This was true, and the fact that Yami knew this about him aroused him deeply.  
It meant Yami truly understood him.

"That's what I thought," Yami said knowingly, noticing the dark look flitting across Kaiba's handsome face. "Get off me. The mood is gone."

"No," Kaiba replied fiercely, giving Yami's narrow hip-bones a tight squeeze with his thighs. "You're here now. We're going to fuck."

Yami let out a laugh, and his blood ran hot at Kaiba's words. He struggled to wiggle out from underneath Kaiba's weight but to no avail.

Kaiba kept Yami pinned down and began to undo his belts with vicious determination, pushing away the nervous hands that tried to grab at his slender fingers, attempting to pry them away from the metal buckle.

Yami let his hands be slapped away several times before he gave up and let Kaiba do as he pleased after managing to yank his leather pants down his thighs with great effort.

Grinning, Kaiba ground his hips down suggestively against Yami's leg, stared eagerly at the erection still clothed in plain black underwear.

Yami had gone surprising quiet, and his eyes had a wild look in them as they darted up and down Kaiba's body, taking in the red bikini strap which was slipping down Kaiba's pale shoulder.

"It's loose," Yami pointed out unhelpfully, and Kaiba reached forward to give his stiffness a spiteful squeeze.

"Yeah, you like that don't you? You fucking pervert…" Kaiba growled, and he flinched instinctively when Yami's hand came suddenly for his chest and slid underneath the red fabric of the bikini's pad.

Hissing in annoyance, Kaiba slapped Yami's hand away and yanked his underwear down, staring condescendingly at Yami's flushed expression.

"You're enjoying this too much—" Kaib began, and Yami interrupted him swiftly. "You're talking too much."

They stared at each other for a long moment before they began to wrestle each other furiously. Kaiba tried to keep Yami pinned, but Yami flipped himself onto his side and kicked out, causing Kaiba to lose his balance, Kaiba quickly recovered to drape one of his long legs over Yami's shoulder, severely knocking the wind out of him.

Panting heavily, Yami laid still, wrinkling is nose at Kaiba's heel which was dangerously close to his nose.

"Give up," Kaiba breathed, his heart thundering in his chest, and he felt Yami relax in his grip.

Triumphant, Kaiba composed himself and managed to position himself above Yami again, groping his ass suggestively. Yami twisted away furiously and cried out, "This isn't how I imagined it!"

"Too bad," Kaiba snarled. "Someone has to be the receiver."

Yami shook his head vehemently and glared, trying to yank his pants up while Kaiba reached for the lube he kept in the nightstand.

* * *

Frowning, Kaiba sat back in his seat and scrolled up through the paragraphs above, thinking this sounded too forceful and too unrealistic.

Would Yami fight him? Or would Yami willingly take the bottom role?  
Was this too bland? Too boring?  
How did sex happen between two people, let alone two men?  
Was it ever this wordy and awkward?

Poising his hands over the keyboard, Kaiba made some space on the document and tried again.

* * *

Through half-lidded eyes, Yami watched Kaiba pleasure himself quickly and slide his hand suggestively down to cup his own balls before rising upwards to palm his leaking tip.

Yami stared so hard, his eyes watered. That looked big. It would never fit.

* * *

Kaiba let out a tight hiss of air between his teeth and cringed at himself. Sure, this was fine. He could write that he had a big dick.  
Was that even what Yami would like?  
Who the hell cared? No one.  
Who would read this? No one.  
And so he continued to write.

* * *

Kaiba grabbed Yami's thighs and pulled him closer, suppressing a shiver as he pressed the tip of his dick against Yami's pink, clenching entrance, listening to Yami's shuddering breaths.

"It'll hurt…" Yami whispered, and Kaiba frowned, reaching down to gently slip a finger into his hole and slide it sensually in and out, feeling Yami shudder and attempt to twist away again.

"Your nails," Yami hissed, his angular eyes watering at the corners with anger and humiliation. "They are fucking long! Cut them! You're hurting me."

"Fucking…" Kaiba grit his teeth, unable to apologize without cursing. "Fine."

He bucked his hips forward boldly without warning and caught another glare from Yami.

"You won't fit—"

"Let me try!" Kaiba growled, gently easing himself into the tight heat and earning another angry growl.

"Hurts!"

Kaiba let his breath out slowly and felt Yami relax alarmingly fast beneath him while still saying, "that hurts!" But his tone had changed from annoyance to excitement.

* * *

Gripping his hair in frustration, Kaiba decided to go back to the first few paragraphs he had written. Maybe if he stuck those two parts together, it would sound less forceful.  
Or maybe….

Kaiba opened a new document and resolved to write the scene he had from the beginning.

* * *

"Give up," Kaiba breathed, his heart thundering in his chest, and he felt Yami relax in his grip.

Triumphant, Kaiba composed himself and managed to position himself above Yami again, groping his ass suggestively. Yami twisted away furiously and cried out, "This isn't how I imagined it!"

"Too bad," Kaiba snarled. "Someone has to be the receiver."

Yami shook his head vehemently and glared, trying to yank his pants up while Kaiba reached for the lube he kept in the nightstand.

Wincing, Yami shrank away as Kaiba smeared the lube over his stomach and trailed it around the base of his dick.

Breathing heavily, Yami watched Kaiba's hands move up and down along his length, sending violent jolts of pleasure running up his chest every time Kaiba gave him a particularly hard rub upwards.

This was not how he had imagined it at all. Kaiba, dressed in the red bikini, was supposed to be the one lying flat on his back.

Kaiba ground his hips forward suggestively, giving Yami's dick another tight squeeze and enjoying the clear bead of precum that emerged from the tip. He slid his hand lower, giving Yami's testicles a soft squeeze before he grazed the pad of his finger against a clenching pink hole.

Yami shivered and glared at him again, but he didn't move.

Spreading his legs, Kaiba inched himself up against Yami's body and felt Yami's hand reach down blindly to touch his erection, also giving it a spiteful squeeze.

"That hurts!" Kaiba hissed, and to his surprise, Yami laughed darkly, thumping his heels strongly onto his lower back.

"Hurry up," Yami breathed, his body burning with a strange fire the longer Kaiba made him wait. "Virgin. You don't know what you're doing, do you?"

A muscle jumped in Kaiba's jaw, and he pressed the tip of his wet dick against Yami's entrance, feeling the muscle clench enticingly against his head, and he managed to say, "...fuck you," before he shoved himself steadily into Yami's ass with one fluid motion, earning a lewd shout.

Yami threw his head back and gasped for air, feeling himself being stretched widely and a low, pulsating heat began to consume him from below.

I-Impossible. Kaiba was…inside.

Kaiba let his breath out in a slow hiss and picked up his pace, his legs burning with effort as he thrust steadily into his spiky-haired rival, daring himself to enjoy the way Yami's hole clamped down onto his dick every time he slid out. The bikini was riding upwards uncomfortably, the fabric wedging itself tightly between his ass cheeks every time he bucked his hips, and after a few more rough grinds, the fabric began to chafe underneath his balls.

Frustrated, Kaiba contemplated easing out of Yami, but one look at the way Yami's head was thrown back in absolute bliss nearly made his heart explode out of his chest with happiness, so he continued. He pressed a hand down onto Yami's tight abdomen, feeling him curl and writhe happily beneath his touch, and his head rushed with vicious triumph.

This was what winning felt like.  
This was true dominance.  
It didn't matter what he wore or what he looked like because at the end of the day, Yami would always want this.

An orgasm was building quickly, and Kaiba tensed, letting the heated waves of electricity crash over him in one large crescendo, and his vision went white while his body burned with a wonderful fire. He pulled out gently, seeing a small puddle of his fluids leaking out of Yami's clenching hole, and a tanned hand came down over his wrist.

"I didn't finish," Yami growled, his violet eyes flashing dangerously, and Kaiba reached down to give him several teasing strokes.

"Don't worry…."

* * *

The phone rang on Kaiba's desk, and he hissed in annoyance, reaching forward with one hand to grab it out of the cradle and press it to his ear.

"What."

"Mr. Kaiba, you have a guest visitor," his secretary said quietly. "He's waiting out here."

Slamming the phone down, Kaiba stood hastily and checked to make sure he wasn't sporting an erection before he strode across the office to yank the door open.

His heart nearly stopped in his chest when he saw Yami sitting regally on the white plush couch right outside his door, looking mildly annoyed.

Oh…shit. What the fuck?

Kaiba was about to throw an insult but Yami stood quickly and brushed past him arrogantly.

"Shut the door, Kaiba. We need to talk."

Sighing, Kaiba saw his secretary give him a shrug before he leaned back into his office and eased the door shut behind himself, slowly turning around to face Yami.

To his rising horror, Yami was standing beside his desk, staring at his computer screen with a dark look on his face.

"That's an invasion of my privacy," Kaiba snarled, lunging for his desk but Yami was quicker.

The spiky-haired pharaoh snatched Kaiba's laptop up off the desk and backed away, his angular eyes darting left and right over the screen, clearly reading everything.

"It's…you!" Yami cried, his eyes widening. "You lied to me when you said you'd find the person and stop them!"

"Give that back," Kaiba spat, towering over the shorter man, fighting to pry his laptop out of Yami's grasp, but his rival was proving to be surprisingly strong.

"I am... investigating…the source…!" Kaiba insisted, his ears burning terribly at this lie.

"Oh yes, the source is you!" Yami cried, his cheeks reddening furiously. "The title of this file is ' _document 12'_. Do you take me for an idiot, Seto Kaiba?"

Kaiba gave his laptop one fruitless tug and gave up, letting Yami hang onto it with white fingertips.

"Fine, you got me," he breathed, folding his arms across his chest defensively. "I am the writer _defaming_ your image and mine."

Yami clutched the laptop to his chest, trying to calm his rapidly pounding heart.  
He was feeling…so many things at once.  
He was angry.  
He was flattered.  
Frustrated.  
Aroused.  
But mostly angry because Kaiba had lied to his face and betrayed his trust.

"Are you doing this to mess with me?" Yami whispered, his body burning with a strange heat. "I came to you clearly asking for help, Kaiba. I told you about these stories, hoping you'd get the person to _stop writing_ , and yet…here you are!"

"Here I am," Kaiba said dully, rolling his eyes. "When is this lecture over? I'm not sorry."

"Do you know how these stories make me feel?" Yami raged, shutting the laptop and tossing it carelessly onto the lounge several feet away, and Kaiba winced when he saw it slide precariously off the cushion and land on the floor with an ear-shattering clatter.

"I didn't get to save," Kaiba said monotonously, feeling his body itch with lust as he stared at Yami's slender legs clothed tightly in leather pants. So close…Yami was standing so close….

"No one cares," Yami said coldly, stepping into Kaiba's personal space with his arms tightly crossed. "Because no one reads that _trash_ , aside from you, and a few other _sick_ people."

A pang of anger seared through Kaiba's chest, and he took a threatening step towards Yami, glaring down at his rival, "Get out of my office."

"No, we're not done," Yami fumed, giving Kaiba a firm shove, causing him to take a step back in surprise. Oh shit. Yami was terrifying when he was really angry.

"No one…" Yami gave Kaiba another shove, and Kaiba took another step back. "…Lies…" he gave a particularly hard shove, and Kaiba stumbled back two steps. "…To me…" Yami pushed Kaiba one more time, and Kaiba felt his back hit the glass window behind him, and his heart skipped a fearful beat in his chest. "…And walks away unscathed," Yami hissed, jutting up on his tiptoes, his nose almost grazing Kaiba's chin as he leaned forward with a sneer. " _Apologize."_

Blinking rapidly, Kaiba lost what was left of his self-control and bent down to press his lips teasingly against Yami's half-parted ones, and his stomach churned violently with arousal when he pulled away quickly, surprised to see that Yami's furious expression hadn't changed.

"Did you like that?" Yami growled, his lips burning from the sudden contact but he willed himself not to react. "Was that fun for you?"  
If he reacted…Kaiba would win, and the CEO was never going to take him seriously ever again.

Blinking rapidly, Kaiba barely nodded.  
Yes. The answer was yes. This was fun.  
Kissing an angry pharaoh was quite fun.

He hesitated for a moment before he decided to do it again, leaning forward a fraction of an inch to kiss a furious Yami on the mouth, this time, making sure to run his tongue along the tops of Yami's teeth before he pulled away, suppressing a shiver.

Yami narrowed his eyes and folded his arms across his chest, leaning away and keeping the frown on his face.

"Do you accept my apology?" Kaiba asked lamely, licking his lips shamelessly in anticipation for another opportunity to kiss Yami. "Let me apologize again."

He reached up to grab Yami solidly by the shoulders, pulling him close, into a deep, open-mouthed kiss. The pharaoh stiffened in his grasp and attempted to take a step back, but Kaiba clung onto him furiously, dipping his tongue daringly into Yami's mouth and giving the tops of his teeth a suggestive lick.

Oh fuck…Yami tasted like honey and his breath was dangerously sweet.  
Kaiba's head spun wildly as he inhaled deeply, drunk off his own euphoria.

Yami was still as stiff as a board, and Kaiba dared to crack an eyelid, seeing a furrowed brow, centimeters in front of his vision.

Pulling away softly, Kaiba lowered his head, extremely frustrated.

"Finished?" Yami asked, his glare steady, his voice unwavering. His heart was leaping wildly in his chest as he relished in Kaiba's disappointed expression.

Kaiba stared deeply into Yami's angular violet eyes for a long moment before he chanced a nod. Yeah. He was done trying shit. Yami hated him, that was clear.

"Good. Come over here," Yami said coldly, walking over towards his desk and pushing the chair out of the way. "Stand here."

Kaiba quickly obliged. Yami wasn't storming out the door, so he wasn't going to complain or argue…yet.

"Turn around, and don't face me," Yami continued, pleased to see Kaiba obediently turn his back and stare at the office door. "Good."

Holding his breath, Kaiba listened to his own rapid heartbeats, wondering what Yami had in store for him. This was so fucking strange….

"Pick up the phone and call your front desk. Tell her to go home," Yami said dispassionately, and his heart leapt excitedly when Kaiba instantly reached down to tap a button on the phone, putting the call on speakerphone.

"Mr. Kaiba?" She said, picking up after the second ring.

"Go home," Kaiba said, his mouth terribly dry, and he heard her say, "I'll leave now," before the dial tone trilled through the silence in the room.

Yami stood silently behind Kaiba for two agonizingly long minutes, fully aware that he was making Kaiba sweat. He was waiting for the girl to leave before he tried anything.

"Now, take off your pants," Yami said gleefully, unable to hide his mirth anymore, and he cracked a smile. "Now, Kaiba."

Mildly shocked and very disgruntled, Kaiba reached around his front to undo his belt, and he dropped his pants to the ground, hearing Yami let out a delirious shout of laughter behind him.

"What is this?" Yami jeered, slipping his finger in through the tight band of red string underwear hugging Kaiba's ass cheeks. "Do you do this every day? You _are_ a pervert! What reality do you live in?"

Kaiba grit his teeth, cursing silently in his mind as his cheeks grew steadily redder. Yami hadn't even seen the front yet, and he was already laughing at the back.

Shaking slightly, Yami reached a hand out to grope Kaiba's pale ass, kneading the flesh suggestively and biting the tip of his tongue.  
He was going to teach Kaiba a lesson.  
Kaiba had written him in such a humiliating manner, it was agonizing to read.  
This would be the best payback.

"Can I show you the front?" the words fell from Kaiba's mouth so fast, he didn't have time to think or take it back.

"There's a front?" Yami raised his eyebrows curiously, his anger melting away completely. "Turn around."

Kaiba slowly spun himself around and held his breath, watching Yami's face light up the moment his eyes landed on his erection.

Yami blinked rapidly, growing hot all over as he stared at the wonderful knots of red string tied artfully around Kaiba's groin, encircling the base of his dick, accentuating his balls.

Speechless, Yami continued to stare, feeling his eyes water when he forgot to blink.

"This isn't underwear—?"

"It's just string," Kaiba finished Yami's sentence, already anticipating his question.

"Does it…hurt?" Yami asked, fascinated. He knelt without thinking and leaned closer to inspect the knots, catching an enticing whiff of Kaiba's musk as he did so.

"Only if I'm erect…" Kaiba whispered, his chest heaving with excitement the moment Yami's nose nearly grazed his leaking tip. "…for hours."

"Well that's not healthy," Yami said with a grin, and he dipped his head forward, taking Kaiba into his mouth and giving him a long, sensual suck. Smirking, Yami flattened his palms against Kaiba's flexed thighs, enjoying how Kaiba's stomach tensed and rolled with every spasm of pleasure he received.

"It's…good, I'm going to cum," Kaiba gasped, his head spinning violently as Yami's tongue flicked deliciously over his slit, sending him careening over the edge as an orgasm ripped unexpectedly through his body.

Yami leaned away frantically and turned his head to the side, catching most of the semen on the side of his face, and it trickled thinly down his neck. Wrinkling his nose, he glared furiously at Kaiba.

"Appalling," he began, but Kaiba wasn't listening.

Kaiba grabbed Yami by the arm and yanked him to his feet, pushing him against the edge of the desk and leaning onto him heavily, grinding his penis desperately between Yami's clothed buttocks.

"My turn…"

"You already came!" Yami protested angrily. Kaiba was already undoing one of his belts. It fell to the floor with a clink and the second one followed quickly. Before Yami could compose himself, Kaiba's cold hand had inched down the front of his pants and had a firm grip on his shaft, giving it rapid, aggressive strokes, almost blinding him with the sudden onslaught of pleasurable jolts and streams of heat that violently licked his insides.

"F-Fuck...w-wait!" Yami hissed, attempting to push Kaiba away, but that only seemed to help. Kaiba leaned back and slid Yami's pants down to his thighs, smearing what was left of his wet semen across his rival's hole and prodded the entrance with the head of his dick.

Dizzy with a mixture of excitement and lust, Yami planted his feet apart and let Kaiba gently lean his weight into the first thrust, stretching him so thin, the pain mixed with the searing hot flames of pleasure burning at his core.

 _Wait…I was the one who was supposed to enter…_ Yami thought faintly, but his mind went blank the moment he felt the rope tied around Kaiba's groin graze the rim of his hole and send another burning wave of delicious heat curling upwards inside him.

Lightheaded and triumphant, Kaiba gave Yami a particularly hard thrust and ground himself forward, making sure the rope rubbed pleasurably underneath his balls before he pulled out to stare at his slick penis…before he shoved it right back into Yami's ass, earning an ecstatic shout.

Barely able to keep his eyes open, Yami pressed his cheek down onto Kaiba's desk, melting happily as Kaiba's fingers dug into his hips tighter and harder with every passionate thrust. His dick leaked wetly with excitement, and before Yami could savor the heated waves of electricity for a moment longer, Kaiba hit a high point inside him, and an orgasm was wrenched reluctantly from his stomach, causing him to double over onto the surface of the desk, gasping for air as stars dotted his vision.

Kaiba felt Yami spasm beneath him and he hastily slowed his pace before gently pulling out. His dick was beginning to chafe and turn red.

He reached around his stomach and hastily began undoing the knots.

Breathless, Yami inched his head around to watch with one eye open, still mildly interested.

"You tie them…yourself?"

"Every day…and today, it paid off," Kaiba said, managing a grin. "I'll stop the shitty writing if this happens more often."

"This?" Yami eased up slowly and pointed at himself before aiming his finger at Kaiba, feeling his asshole throb dully. "No. This was a one-time thing."

"Then I'm posting a new entry tomorrow," Kaiba said viciously, tossing the rope aside and picking up his pants, his knees wobbling dangerously with residual threads of pleasure. "Try and stop me."  
He'd be damned if this was only going to be a " _one-time thing"._

Yami narrowed his eyes, not bothering to get dressed.  
Damn.  
He had been right when he figured Kaiba wouldn't take his request seriously if he gave in too soon.

"Kaiba, I mean it," Yami said icily. "You're being extremely disrespectful."

"Then let me tie you up," Kaiba replied cheekily, holding up the rope and tossing it onto the desk. "Give me something or the stories never stop."

Yami stared at Kaiba for a long minute, feeling slightly defeated.

"Very well," he said after a long moment of contemplation. "You may tie me up. But…no photos, and certainly no sex."

"No sex, no photos," Kaiba repeated cheerfully, walking across the room and picking his laptop up from the ground, inspecting it for cracks and chips. "Which means I get to write about it."

"No!" Yami protested, his irritation rising. " _Please_ stop."

"Those are the terms of the agreement," Kaiba said testily, sliding the laptop carefully onto the desk and staring blatantly at Yami's exposed crotch.

"Fine…how about a date?" Yami suggested wildly. He was exhausted from the rough sex, and all he wanted was for the horrible writing to stop.

"Okay, a date will suffice, for now," Kaiba sniffed, hiding a small grin. "You can use my shower."

He pointed into the bathroom and watched with great satisfaction as Yami slid off his desk still pants-less and stalked into the other room, slamming the door so hard, the chandelier rattled.

 _I win_ , Kaiba smiled to himself and reached into his desk drawer to grab a wet wipe, and he began methodically cleaning his desk.

Everything had gone perfectly according to plan.

Sex before their first date was more than he could've hoped for!

* * *

 **Author's note:**

—THE END—

im sorry that took so long to post, but here it is! Thoughts?

I don't know if anyone else can relate, but I had trouble writing these finals scenes because they're extremely sexual, and I think that meaning can be lost very easily in a sex scene, which is why I'm always hesitant to write them.

Also, the topic of Kaiba crossdressing was a hard topic to broach, because on one hand, I have people telling me I'm literally writing garbage and deserve to die because I'm objectifying men/gay men and their sexuality, and on the other hand, I have people begging for more sex scenes.

So maybe you can kinda see why I'm torn.  
In terms of difficulty, this was by far the hardest fic I had to write, because I knew that no matter what I wrote, I would be stepping on some toes.

I want to take this last moment to say thank you for reading to the end, and for commenting, asking for updates, and giving me feedback.

And as always, a disclaimer to cover my ass: I am not what I write

Writing is a release for me. It is just for fun. Please don't think that I support and believe in any of the ideas presented in any of my stories.

If it feels wrong to you, that's probably because it is (wrong)/(abusive)/(just plain bad).  
Am I trying to send a message? That is up to you to decide.

I put my words out here in hopes that the ghost possessing me will be satisfied with the number of fanfics I've written and hopefully leave my body soon.

Sincerely,

Ugli

 _-this chapter was edited by:taedae, a bigg thank you to her sharp eyes :D-_


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